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I’m a very habit-driven person. Order and routine help calm my mind which is always swirling with ideas, to dos and projects. Shortly after the “stay home” order went into effect in Massachusetts, I created a list of the daily routines that I was particularly enjoying so I could remember what was keeping me sane when I looked back on this time years from now.
It was just a quick note on my phone, but in looking back on the list weeks later, I recognize how important is is for me to focus on prioritizing them every day. They’re not Earth-shattering by any means, but being forced to stay home has a way of distilling what sparks joy in my life every day, and many are blissfully simple.
10 Habits I Love for Lockdown
- Make the bed every morning
- Keep a daily gratitude list
- Write every day
- Workout early in the morning
- Wake up before the kids
- Meal plan
- Cook with a glass of wine
- Listen to audiobooks and podcasts
- Read in bed
- Read magazines
Nothing all that unusual, right? Some are basic housekeeping tasks, like making the bed and planning meals, but others like cooking with a glass of wine in hand and reading magazines, are purely for pleasure and I think that is especially important right now.
I’ve always been a big reader, so listening to audiobooks and podcasts isn’t anything new, but I’ve made a greater effort to stay on top of my sourcing, regularly putting in free “hold” requests through my local library so I have a constant stream of new books in the queue.
Reading in bed is a greater hurdle for me because I see this as a relaxing way to unwind before bed, but I tend to not settle into bed until quite late, which makes “waking before the kids” difficult, so these are two I’m working on!
Working out is such a great stress reliever for me, but I’ve struggled for weeks with this, since I don’t particularly enjoy at-home workouts and walking around the neighborhood only gets your heart rate up so much. I’m a die-hard gym fan. I love my spin classes and I love my weight room and just don’t feel as focused on pushing myself when I’m surrounded by the chaos of home and family.
Still, since Caroline dropped her 2+ hours midday nap recently, I’ve been sneaking into the girls’ bedroom since they campout in the living room to play almost all day and have been trying to fit something in. I figured something is better than nothing. It definitely sparked something in me because yesterday I went for a run in absolutely pouring, frigid rain and as unpleasant as it was, huffing around the track and streets was exactly what I needed, so I may just bit the bullet and start running on the street more every week.
Finally, writing. If I don’t get my thoughts out onto paper in some form every day, it makes me feel anxious so bullet journaling and blogging are excellent outlets for me. I don’t always feel capable of stringing two sentences together when the kids are awake, so this is one of those ones I need to work on doing before they’re awake, or else, prioritizing after they go to bed because it really does help relax me so much. Keeping a gratitude list every day is just one aspect of that that helps to ground me.
So that’s my list. I’d love to hear how you’re staying sane during this time at home.
