Surviving Life in Lockdown

My dear ladies and gentlemen,

Another month has gone by, and more of us are getting antsier by the minute by ourselves, or with a select few in our household together, in lockdown, quarantine and/or isolation. Whatever you'd like to call it, these words have never fit in well with our vocabulary as social beings.

Luckily for us, we find ourselves in an age of technology. Gone are the days of pigeon post and messages in a bottle. Whether it is to your significant other, your wanting-to-be-significant-other, your friends, family or anyone currently in your life, it is very important to keep the line of communication open. We have these things called phones, and when we pick them up and hear each other's voices, or see each other on screen, our brains actually release dopamine, or 'happy chemicals' and we quite literally get a high from talking to our loved ones. The best part is, you can't overdose. Unless it's your in-laws who just won't stop calling.

Another crucial way to avoid the lockdown blues, is exercise. Of course we can't all head to our secluded beach in the tropics and do yoga outside next to the crashing waves, but, if you've got a little space somewhere in your place of isolation, it goes a long way. Whether you've got your own gym, a backyard to do some laps in your runners, or maybe you've only got enough space to run on the spot indoors, any physical activity is better than none.

Hobbies. Learn a language, play a musical instrument, pick up a quirky talent, write in a journal, the activities to keep your brain engaged are endless! Research has shown that learning another language actually makes your brain grow bigger. When playing a musical instrument, both sides of the brain are being used which improves memory and ultimately makes you smarter. Learning to juggle doesn't just help with your multi tasking skills, it also improves your perception, hand-eye coordination and even increases grey matter in the brain which vastly improves your brain's processing speed and abilities. So get started. You're the next Elon Musk, you just don't know it yet.

Clean. Nobody likes a slob, but have you ever been locked up with one? Sweep the floors, vacuum your rug, scrub your toilet bowl and Windex those windows folks. Not only will it consume time, clutter can affect your ability to sleep, focus and greatly increases your level of stress. So clear it all out, get cracking!

But the most important thing is, whatever you end up doing, the key is to make sure to be focused and actively engaged with your chosen activity, as this will help the time fly by. And of course, don't try to do too much at once. Sometimes some meditation and a nice long bath with candles will do much more for you than learning any language or cleaning any room in the house. And above all, don't forget to have fun! We are all alone in this together, and this won't be forever!

Hope you have found my tips helpful, happy isolating!

Bailey Sue