Locked down with my husband, 4 dogs and anxiety
Nancy shares how exercising in lockdown has helped her anxiety.
Date: 25 June 2020 Author: Energise Me
For lots of students and young adults who were already living relatively unsettled lives, COVID-19 has (quite literally) sent them packing. Here's how our placement student, Charlotte, is coping with a new-found lack of independence...
In June 2019, I moved 144 miles away from home, 65 miles away from my current university and what felt like a world away from all my scattered friends and family to start a new adventure. A placement year-and-a-bit with Energise Me. I moved into a flat with a group of Winchester Uni students who quickly turned from strangers into true friends. A new fantastic team of work colleagues became my whole new quirky family. I even joined a gym, started going to an athletics club and did the odd local Parkrun. My very own independent working life was set, complete with an actual daily routine and regularly getting excited about food shopping. I embraced the opportunity with every inch of my being and never looked back… Until COVID-19 stopped the world in its tracks…
I cannot deny the frustration I felt when my happy little bubble was popped, instantly removing my freedom to drift along on my own gentle breeze and sending me plummeting down to a new restricted reality. And back home to my parents.
All of a sudden, my flatmates’ final year of university was over. No summer ball, post-exam celebrations or proper graduation. Within a week, we’d said our goodbyes and the flat became empty. My 18-year-old brother was sent home from sixth form. His school life was over, A-Level exams cancelled, and his control over his university destiny taken from him. Friends and family members were being furloughed left, right and centre. Some were being sent home from abroad with no time to pack up their lives and no money for flights. I was told to work from home. Where even is home?!
I am endlessly grateful and lucky to have a family home to go back to. I know there are so many people in much worse positions than I am. But I cannot deny the frustration I felt when my happy little bubble was popped, instantly removing my freedom to drift along on my own gentle breeze and sending me plummeting down to a new restricted reality. And back home to my parents.
As I’m sure is true for most of us, life became uncertain and stressful. But the new monotony of lockdown life turned the uncertainty and stress into a simple and overwhelming lack of motivation. To do anything. Ever. Especially to keep active.
I have always known how much exercise can make you feel better physically and mentally. However, I also know that knowing this isn’t always enough to kick yourself into action. As much as I told myself to get off my bum and get moving, motivation refused to grace me with its presence. The less active I became, the less active I could be bothered to be!
Setting easy, achievable goals! For example, I try to get outside every day, even if it’s just a 10-minute walk to the top of the road and back. It helps to prevent cabin fever and forces me to get away from screens for a bit.
Exercising with other people (in real life or virtually). I enjoy it more when I have other people to chat to and cheer on. (And to complain to when it gets tough!) I am much more likely to participate if I’ve made a commitment to someone else. So, I have encouraged my Mum to do PE with Joe with me every morning. I have also recently started doing facetime workouts with some of my friends and following YouTube workouts with my brother. I have a group chat with a few friends who like to keep active. We encourage each other, share what we’ve been up to and sometimes do things together.
Creating a routine that allows time to exercise. Doing PE at 9am gets me out of bed at the same time each day. Scheduling facetime workouts with friends at certain times on certain days helps me stick to it (and helps me remember what day of the week it is!). I also have a slot 5:30-6:30pm each day that I keep free to exercise – some days I don’t feel up to it, but having the time there takes away the first barrier.
If I have a day where I do absolutely nothing, I try not to beat myself up about it! We can’t all be perfect all the time so if you need a sofa and PJ day from time to time that is 100% acceptable!
For lots of students and young adults who were already living relatively unsettled lives, COVID-19 has (quite literally) sent us packing. It is entirely normal to feel a loss of purpose, identity and independence – you are not alone and don’t be too hard on yourself!
Remember that you are still an independent adult who is perfectly capable to take on life on your own! Just because some of your freedom and independence feels like it’s been taken away, you are still you and your life journey and personal development isn’t going backwards! This is only temporary!
Stay connected to your friends but save as much time as you need to be completely alone. Turn off your phone and ignore social media for a bit whenever you can. Don’t be afraid to say no to that virtual quiz just because you’re not really feeling it.
BE KIND to yourself and others.
Helping us tackle inactivity to boost health and happiness
