I worked for me

Lynsey Bleakley, 44, the owner of an online bakery, says: ‘As lockdown kicked in, I was faced with many problems. I was pivoting to keep my business going, despite cancelled weddings and events, and I also had a multitude of new challenges to make the company successful. I was working around the clock and soon I was running on empty. I’d forgotten about me time.

‘I’d been burnt out before and felt I was quickly heading there again. I knew I needed to employ some measures to help redress the balance and take better care of myself. So I made a commitment to start my daily walk again. Every morning, come hail, rain or shine, I got up an hour earlier, when the coastal path and beaches were quiet, and headed out with my husband and our three labradors. We switched off from business. No phones. Just us – talking, soaking up the views and savouring the peace and tranquillity. We walk 5k every morning. It’s now an integral part of my daily routine that I never want to be without. It’s my sanity and saviour and helps keep my head clear and my body healthy.’