YOU CAN AVOID COMMON LOCKDOWN STRUGGLES

There are certain mistakes we made last time we were in a national lockdown that didn’t help us get through it – Emma describes how we can refrain from repeating them this time round

You may be struggling to homeschool your kids, have an unsuitable home to work from, or feeling isolated living alone. But wherever you are on the lockdown struggle spectrum, you can still make positive choices.

CREATE A ROUTINE

Before the pandemic hit, life followed a certain rhythm, because we are creatures of habit and like a sense of order. Even with life being so different now, there are some essential routines we should follow. If you are on furlough, do not stay up until

3am every night watching boxsets. Treat your day as you would a work day by breaking it up into manageable chunks that include reading, exercise, hobbies, online chats, preparing healthy meals, and doing fun activities with your kids if you have them. Get up and go to bed at the same time every day. If you don’t have kids, you may see little point in organising your day, but if you wake up late, you won’t have the opportunity to get out in the white light. We need sunlight on our skin daily to ensure the secretion of hormones in the brain that aid sleep, produce vitamin D and replenish energy.

SET BOUNDARIES

If you work from home, create an orderly space where you will receive the least disruption. This may be harder with little ones, so create a crafting corner where they can tire themselves out while you work. If you have a partner, agree to share housework and childcare equally, tweak your hours as agreed with your respective bosses, and work out how best to support one another.

DITCH THE PYJAMAS

Don’t wear PJs all day. Taking care of your physical appearance is proven to make you more efficient. Be careful as to the kind of content you consume online – instead of endless news coverage, watch funny videos, or follow influencers who don’t take themselves too seriously. This helps the brain think more positively. If homeschooling is getting you down, lose the guilt! You haven’t chosen this and you can’t change it, so just do the best you can. Throughout all this, we all need to remember to be kind, and that begins with being kind to yourself.

winning silver at the London 2012 Olympics. It was the most stressful time of my life, but to win a medal was the pinnacle of my career – nothing has topped it since. Anyone can be a dad, but I really hope to be a good one. My father wasn’t around much growing up, so that drives me to be the polar opposite. I’m determined to be there for all the highs and the lows, and to keep my family happy. to always listen to my coach. Starting out in gyms as a young kid, I wasn’t the best or the strongest, but I always listened to what my coach would say. It helped me to learn and to push myself. Louis is working with Butler’s Farmhouse Cheeses: Blacksticks Blue to encourage people to try foods, such as blue cheese, that they may not have liked as a child. Visit Blacksticksblue.com