An early morning alarm for work. A lunch time yoga class. A trip to the cinema. Coffee with a friend. Just a few of the things that have stopped for some of us. Stopped in an instant with no real time to get our heads around or any real alternative but to accept things have changed massively in a matter of weeks.
No early morning alarms may seem like a positive but what that alarm does do is create routine and structure and humans love routine. We crave some form of structure to fit our days in to, whether it be work or recreation. Ticking off that to do list at work. Planning your week of exercise classes at the gym. We all like to have a plan in place for something and recent events have thrown a massive road block in to proceedings.
So how do we continue to strive for something when we have no idea what the next few weeks or months hold? Here are five considerations when dealing with isolation…
1. Structure Your Day
Although leaving the house and going about your normal day to day business is becoming less normal, aim to create a schedule that mimics your daily routine as closely as possible.
Working from home can bring distractions along with being a less than optimal working place but by making sure you start, finish and have lunch at the same time as normal can help maintain your productivity.
Separate work from leisure and avoid being drawn back to work tasks after you’ve finished for the day. Leave the laptop in another room and plan other fun activities on your own or with family.
2. Keep That Alarm!
As annoying as it is, a daily alarm sets the tone and usually gets you going for what’s ahead. Your body becomes used to waking at certain times and although the odd lie in is great, keeping a regular sleep pattern will pay off in the long run when things gets back to normal.
3. Exercise
A fairly obvious one but a big one nonetheless. Daily exercise, from HIIT classes to pilates, improves physical and mental health which can dramatically improve your outlook and how you deal with this time of isolation. Not to mention you’ll be flying by the time you get back to your classes. It doesn’t have to be fancy and there are lots of sources out there if you need some inspiration.
Download the Leisureactive app to access our Home Workout videos, Les Mills on Demand and Life Fitness Digital Coach or ‘Like’ @leisureactive Facebook page for videos and challenges to help keep you active
4. Up Your Neat
Otherwise known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis, this fancy term basically translates to the calories and energy you burn out with exercise. Your average amount of steps will no doubt drop as you spend more time indoors but look for ways to increase it where possible. Get up and walk around the house every so often. Climb the stairs twice instead of once. Literally anything that gets you off the couch will have a massive impact.
5. Eat Well
There’s never been a better or more important time to eat well. More time at home means more time to cook from scratch. Or just learn to cook in the first place. Plus with being less active during the day, the need to watch that calorie intake is even greater in order to maintain a healthy weight. You might even use this time to experiment with some new foods and recipes to spice things up a bit. Literally!
David Low – Fitness Instructor
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