I’M FEELING SO LETHARGIC IN LOCKDOWN

Dear Coleen

Over the past few weeks I’ve become really lethargic – tired all the time and with no enthusiasm for anything. I’m finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning, which isn’t ideal, as I have a school-age daughter and my husband is very busy with work.

I’m usually a really organised person with a lot of get-up-and-go but have found myself with no energy and it takes a monumental effort to do anything.

I’m also snappy and look forward to my daughter’s bedtime so I can have a drink and just be on my own in front of the telly. I don’t know what’s happened to my drive and zest for life – it’s like I’ve had a personality transplant in lockdown.

Do you have any advice?

Coleen says

Life for all of us has changed dramatically – there’s no routine being imposed on us, such as school runs, the work commute and so on, so we’ve all had to come up with our own routines.

Maybe you are organised, but maybe you also like being given a structure to your day and, right now, that’s missing, so you feel a bit at sea. Also, the current situation poses lots of challenges for our mental wellbeing – you might feel better if you acknowledge that and take some pressure off yourself.

You don’t have to post projects on Instagram every five minutes or super-school your daughter to within an inch of her life. It’s OK to slow down and accept this time for what it is.

Hopefully, we’ll all be back to some kind of normal soon – and you may find yourself wishing you’d stopped worrying about not achieving and just enjoyed the time with your daughter.

As for feeling stronger mentally and having more get-up-and-go, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day helps, as does exercise fresh air. Set yourself small goals and never mind what everyone else might be doing.