And so it continues...
We’re sure we’re not the only ones feeling a little apprehensive as we head towards another national lockdown. We understand that it can make people feel scared, uncertain or angry even. And whilst we absolutely don’t want to talk politics (let’s face it, there’s enough of that going on right now without us wading in), we do want to take a moment to recognise the uncertain time ahead. For us personally, as a newly formed, small independent business this is a worrying time. But we’d like to think we’ve learned a few things over the past few months to help us survive another lockdown, and so we thought we’d share these with you all.
We’re certainly not saying we’re experts, and these tips may not work for everyone, but here are our top 5 tips to surviving lockdown.
1. Humour
We’ve mentioned before that here at A Town Called Home, we’ve realised the power of a smile. Now more than ever we understand the positive effect of laughter and the importance of having some fun. That’s why in the midst of all this chaos it’s important to find something (or someone) that makes you laugh. A large serving of British humour could be just what you need. Did we mention we have a range of funny & topical cards available right now? :)
2. Stay active
Whether it’s a daily walk, or an intense cardio workout, we found that staying active and getting out and about for some fresh air was a great way to clear the mind. And it’s obviously good for your body too - bonus!
3. Work / life balance
With many of us thrown into working from home, it’s easy to see how it can be difficult to create that distinction between work and home. The dining room table has become the office and the commute that used to create some space between work and home life has disappeared. So we’d suggest creating a routine and sticking to it. Try not to muddy the water. Decide when to turn off your laptop and do it. Once that laptop is off, make sure you switch off. Allow yourself to fully embrace home life. Work can wait until tomorrow.
Being away from our friends and family was possibly the hardest part of lockdown for us. But, there are still lots of ways you can stay connected with your loved ones. We know it’s not the same, but lots of telephone chats & video calls can make all the difference. Having said that, it’s up to you to set the boundaries. I think we were all guilty of saying ‘yes’ to far too many zoom calls and online quizzes last time round. They were great at first, but the buffering WiFi and awkward moments of talking over each other became pretty tedious didn’t it?! Your own time is precious, so make sure you reach out to those you want to, but also remember it is perfectly okay to politely decline an invite to the next round of ‘virtual fun’.
5. Kindness
A Town Called Home