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The 5 Rs To Practise During the Lockdown

Mother nature has put humanity in the naughty corner...


...and it's uncertain for how long? Talk about a buzz kill! Fear is lurking within our safe spaces, medical staff are overwhelmed, and under equipped, while the future of our economies remain unpredictable.

I don't take it for granted that for now, I have a roof over my head. There's a comfort that my family and I can adhere to the call for social distancing by staying at home. Right now, there are homeless people, or individuals with inadequate shelter who don't have that luxury of social distancing to flatten the curve. To add on, there's no room for financial cushions to have food stocked up.

Again, I really don't mind working from home. However, this confinement to an extent will drive one um poco loço. This is specifically true for those who live from hand to mouth. There are those whose job description is limited to the office space where they can't work remotely. As an entrepreneur whose business is still growing, frustration and anxiety kicks in. I'm wondering how I'm going to meet my targets if I'm not physically interacting with clients?

With the naughty corner, we are often told to think about what we have done. So putting this social distancing into perspective, lockdown means down time. We don't need to shutdown, just slow down the pace so that we can rest, reset, reflect, realign, and even redesign. Life as we knew it pre-COVID 19, was fast paced, exhausting and often dead. With a show of hands, how many people lacked passion for life? Both my hands are raised, with my recent burnout experience.

Whether it's the 21-day lockdown or an extended period of self isolation, this is the time to grow and glow. So how are we going to plan for a year that we were certain would be a change? Remember when we celebrated 20 plenty? Right now is the season to reset, and restore to factory settings. Here are the five ways to rest during the lockdown.

1. Mind

Being cooped up can be threatening to one's mental health. It's like being in solitary confinement, especially if you live alone. A lack of physical human contact can make it a challenge to confront one's own problems. If you already suffer from bipolar, or depression, or maybe anxiety disorders, then being alone and isolated won't help. How do we take our minds off our mind? I found returning to reading as a way to beat boredom, as well as take my mind of stress. My target is to read three books during this lockdown. The idea is to feed the mind and expand the imagination. Imagine falling into the rabbit hole with Alice, or analysing gender issues in Mariama Ba's 'So Long a Letter', or catching up with good habits from Robin Sharma's '5 AM Club'. Writing in a journal is another way to divert your mind from the status quo. You could start writing the next autobiography, perhaps your vision board, or maybe healing through the pages. Take a break from time to time from the news, social media and potential triggers of anxiety, or depression. Of course, we don't live in a bubble but the last thing we need are prophecies of doom that would probably trigger suicidal thoughts.

2. Body

Staying fit or in shape is one discipline many of us fail to adhere to. I know because I have been telling myself that I will do 20 squats every morning, and run three times a week...since October last year. Yes, that monkey emoji with its hands over its eyes just popped up. I am used to waking up early for work and school run. I decided not to change that routine, however, what then do I do with my mornings?  Exercise! There are several forms of exercise from zumba, dancing, cardio, yoga, to even doing housework. The point is to get up and get physical. Making exercise a habit as well as a priority will help you relax, stay healthy and be positive. The body goes beyond fitness too. Indulge in those facials, soaking your feet in a foot spa, or simply a bath. Your skin will thank you later when you start constant moisturising. Focus on the face, neck, hands and feet. The upside of these good habits is that when you feel good inside, the world looks and feels like a better place. You are likely to be more productive, and make clear, logical decisions.

3. Soul

Yes, pay attention to the mind, body and soul. We cannot divorce the three because they are essential for a fully functional human being. I shared with my Christian friends about the irony of the 21-day lockdown in relation to the 'Daniel's fast', and his 21 day prayer. Different faiths believe in different ways of connecting the soul with the universe. Some meditate, others burn incense and there are those who take in nature. This is definitely the time to realign with the spiritual side of you. I intend to reconnect with God, committing to studying scripture, and praying. And yes, a little faith can go a long way, especially during these times. As Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houston sang, "There can be miracles when you believe, though hope is frail, it's hard to kill."

4. Money

'Unless you change who you are, you will always have what you got," Jim Rohn. Career and finance are the current areas of uncertainty for many of us. Staying at home, and indoors isn't beneficial for our bank accounts. So how does one rest, reset and realign in this crucial part of life? Firstly, we need to reset our mentality towards money. As psychologists and financial advisors have observed, our attitudes towards money are influenced by how we were raised. I admit that I'm frugal to a fault. This frugality hasn't always worked to my advantage. As a teenager, I learnt to save towards what I wanted to buy. What I missed is understanding the art of saving for increase. In my adulthood, I have been afraid of money. My attitude has been more of lack. In a recent conversation with a colleague, he said that my money mentality needs to change. He said to me, "Start thinking like you have money." Thinking that you have money isn't about spending it, it's about planning and hustling in an attitude of someone who is used to having money. Right now adapting to the changes will help innovate income generation. As a business, it's time to execute a strategy that maximises the digital space. We must also remember that we have bills and must ensure that we make arrangements to fulfil those payments. Most companies are making provision for online payments on their platform. Speak to your landlord if you rent, bank, school administration etc on payment plans if you aren't liquid at the moment. In the meantime, do your best to save by minimising luxuries. Only shop for essentials, and involve yourself in leisure activities that don't require your credit card. Plan ahead and have a budget for the post lockdown period, because that's not going to be a smooth transition to normal.

5. Passion

I have found time to really get back to blogging. Early this year, I found myself so wrapped up in my nine to five that I was losing my footing as a writer. Now, I really plan my day without external pressure. I'm catching up with the blogging, planning my content calendar for the next half of the year, and scheduling content. I'm not yet up to date but I'm getting there. Imagine how much time you have for your favourite passions? Had you dropped playing an instrument? Or perhaps that baking that you always wanted to get into? Remember that you had so many diy you wanted to try out? Now is the best time. Personal development is also important. I plan to actually structure and adapt new methods of doing my nine-to-five whilst balancing my side hustles. I want to improve my vocational skills such as hairdressing particularly braiding hair. This will be a great way to improve my finances by adding an income generating source. Google continues to add courses for digital marketers and there's no better time than the present to update those skills. Most people that I'm speaking to actually have free time right now because most companies have really slowed down business. Again, there's no better time than the present to actually learn and upgrade. Invest in yourself, collaborate with others online and tap into those hidden gifts.

There's nothing new under the sun, and this list serves as a reminder that life is still moving. Even in isolation. And remember, this too shall pass.

Safeguard your physical and mental health. Adhere to the instructions on personal hygiene by the medical professionals. Be still and pray.

And let the lockdown be the perfect restoration, and rejuvenation.

P.S. : Always write your own love story!

Ciao!

Lady E

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