50 Things to do when Lockdown goes Long-term (Part 1)

I’m trying something new: this is a LIVE blog post – that means I’ll publish five parts per day for 10 days.  If you haven’t already, start by checking out my original COVID-19 post then follow along with me on Instagram for daily updates!  Comments are SO welcome, what are you all doing these days?  Let’s brain pool. 

 

46. Write down your daily routine

(or somebody)

What we do every day adds up. How do you want to live? What can you do daily to live that way? This could be your ultimate habit hack moment.

Some examples:

• making time for adequate sleep/rest (maybe bedtime routines, meditation)
• self-care: from personal hygiene to diet and exercise (upping fruit and veg snacks, skincare, dental hygiene, stretching or walking)
• positive thinking (I like listing three gratitudes every day and/or sharing a daily high and low with a partner/family member/close friend/s)

There is SO much on the internet regarding routines, it can be overwhelming. I start where I struggle.

I’m used to school bells ringing to mark every hour, to catching a train at 8:10am sharp and to attending yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm. I thrived on scheduling and followed along like clockwork…until all of this turned to dust mid-March.

I eased into this new abyss of open scheduling by setting alarms to mark the day (when to wake up, read, study, workout, make meals, call friends/family, have tea, go to bed, etc) — there’s a comforting sense of rhythm in a steady routine. I share mine in my COMING TO PEACE WITH BEING AT HOME post.

I’ll be playing around with routines throughout quarantine and promise to share details via gracenotestheworld on Instagram – a new page dedicated to words (graceintheworld offers more travel/personal content).

 

47. Make a daily goal

I love that some people have tons of work that they’re passionate about and able to do at home. Good for you. I don’t have such a high workload (is this good or bad? I don’t know) and temporary loss of my identity as a helper has me feeling a little bit “less than” lately.

To cope, I encourage myself to set one main task each day. Today that is cleaning the balcony. Tomorrow I’ll make granola (a two week supply so it’s a project). Setting myself up to accomplish something on a day-to-day basis is motivating (KEY these days) – usually I accomplish much more than the task alone but it’s a starting point (and a sufficient ending point on the days when the sorrows of the current state of the world get me down and I must allow grieving). Let your task be as big or as small as your best can be each day and please have compassion for and trust in yourself.

“Do your best. Your best is good enough.”

— my mom

 

48. Make a weekly goal

Those daily accomplishments add up. What can you focus on each week? Dividing a larger project into daily bits and getting things done one step at a time gives even more of a sense of completion and might restore some pride you had at work before everything moved online (and feedback is harder to give/receive digitally). I like to consider my weekly goals on Sundays. Then I break them down into parts which can be accomplished day-by-day and get things going. It feels good to meet my own expectations, to succeed in what I set up to accomplish in a week.

What can you focus on this week?

A few ideas to get you started:

• organizing — your career/education plans, reading lists, daily routines, workout plans, meal plans, decluttering…sky’s the limit
• movement — workout videos on youtube/by subscription, walks in your neighborhood if it’s safe & allowed, burpee breaks, push up challenges, training for a 10k — whatever motivates you most)
• prayer — or contemplation — and any associated reading/writing/knowledge gathering
• cooking — this was my focus last week and I seriously improved daily! Loved watching cooking shows and taking notes then trying new tastes/techniques.
• communication — reach out first and ask better questions

 

49. Categorize your task list

There are two ways I like to do this. For busier times I lean on my Passion Planner which helps me to manage both personal and work tasks in a really balanced and mindful way – highest recommendation for these from me.

Lately, with more time on hand, I’ve gotten to try a new system which I also like.

divide tasks into four categories:

 

50. Do your taxes

You were allowed to put it off past April 15, but now it’s almost the end of April. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what you have coming mid-Summer? (and do your part to build those roads and schools and support one another with stimulus checks – yay community!)

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