The Benefits of Lockdown Have we made lasting changes?
Half way through March, the UK was put into lockdown, meaning that for most of us, our daily lives were turned upside down while we were told to stay inside and stop our social interactions. We were all thrust into that phrase we have all heard a million and one times since - “the new normal”. This has been a time of great pain for large parts of our society and the continued risk to health is a worry that it appears will remain as we start to emerge from lockdown restrictions. However, we were all forced to make changes to our daily lives and here we are shining a light on the positives, yes, that’s right – there is some good that has come from the forsaken 2020.
Here we’ve reflected on some of the benefits to our lifestyle that lockdown has given us that could continue to have a positive effect when we return to the “new normal”. (Sorry we’ll really try not to use anymore journalist COVID-19 bingo in the rest of this article.)
Focusing on our health
When COVID-19 became the number one topic of conversation it put health at the top of our agenda. Be this the need to comply with the rules to stay virus free or the move to finding ways to stay fit and healthy whilst staying inside at home. The country has seen a mass move from gyms to home workouts, fitting in walks around childcare and work duties. With our one a day exercise routine being our only chance to step outside, we learnt to enjoy exercise and value it in our lives rather than “not having the time” or seeing it as a means to an end. This is something we can all take forward, continuing to allocate time for fitness and engaging in the importance of our health.
Home became more than a hotel
Before 2020, our homes often felt like a quick pit stop to refuel with food and sleep for a few hours before returning to work or venturing out to our next event. That changed drastically in March with the majority of us being at home 24/7, self-isolating in a safe zone away from what was happening outside. Whilst we can’t continue with this amount of time spent indoors (and probably don’t want to), it’s shown us the value of having this time at home to relax and decompress, and is something we should make time for as our diaries start filling up again.
Staying connected with the people we care about
We all took to virtual quizzes and waving goodbye at the end of virtual calls to keep in touch with our family and friends while we couldn’t see them in person. As social creatures, we created new ways to stay connected with those closest to us. Families have had more quality time together and we’ve had to reengage with our communities and neighbours to protect the most vulnerable. While we were usually too busy rushing from A to B before, we’ve seen the value of slowing down and making time to spend with those we care about. As we come out of lockdown, it doesn’t stop having benefits to carry on these touch points, not only for you, but also for them.
The gift of time
Most of us have complained at some point about being too busy and not having time to stop and think, but we certainly got our wish back in March when all we had was time. For many, our time has still been filled with home schooling, juggling working from home with childcare, home DIY and virtual quiz preparation but this time has allowed us all the space to step back from our usual routine to evaluate what’s important to us. This time means we should be better prepared to make lasting changes to our lifestyles to include more of what we truly need and value.