How to Stay Sane in Lockdown

You’ve heard the news. We're all at home. The introverts are celebrating by continuing business as usual. People with disabilities that entail an indoor lifestyle are telling us get over ourselves, be more empathetic and learn how to live indoors. People with active social lives are fidgeting and wondering how to fill their days.

You may have homeschooling keeping your busy. You may be spending your evenings trying to figure out how to make bread with just 3 ingredients.

But let’s take a step back from these practical essentials and think about the opportunity that lies ahead.

When the outside world is closed to us we have an incredible opportunity: to turn inwards, discover ourselves and uncover our passions.

We can learn a new skill. Finally write that book we’ve always been thinking about but never got round to. Do something different with our kids/flatmates/partners/friends be it in person or through technology. Technology offers us infinite opportunities for creativity, learning and social connection.

So let’s get started. Here’s your guide.

Use this editable worksheet in Google Slides. If that doesn't work here's the pdf.

Going through this worksheet will help you come up with ways to

• Separate work/non work time if you're working

• Find something meaningful to do if you're not working

• Stay healthy

• Stay motivated

• Stay connected with other people

• Not get bored

• Make the most of your free time during lockdown

Let’s be clear. The point of this exercise is not to pretend everything is fine, or force ourselves to be positive about something that is obviously not positive. The point is that once we do our part in socially isolating and staying indoors, what we decide to do with our time indoors has no impact on the external situation. The same amount of people will get infected or die whether we spend the whole day checking the news, or check it twice a day and spend the rest of our day writing a book chapter.

So we have a choice. 

We can surrender to external events and allow them to take control of our mind. Or we can take back control and focus our attention on something that will keep us feeling alive. I choose the second. I invite you to join me.

The Formula

Raise an imaginary glass to toast to some quality time indoors