Covid life is a whirlwind of emotions. One day everything seems to be settling down and then the next day there’s a new variant or spike. All the hours working from home, being on zoom, not socialising, and child minding can lead to a covid rut. I have found myself slipping into this rut from time to time over the past year and have implemented a few rules to pull myself out of it. I thought I would share my five main rules with you this week.
1. Start off the day with some quiet time.
This is not 20 minutes of meditation or anything drastic, sorry mum. It’s just the time it takes me to drink my first cup of coffee. Usually, Alba is still asleep and Hasani is in the kitchen doing work and I sit and say a quiet prayer in my head.
This quiet time helps me to prioritise what’s important in life and quell some of my anxieties.
2. Morning workouts.
I work out in the morning because by the evening I’m usually too tired to be bothered. My workout motto is that consistency trumps intensity. Therefore, I strive for 30-45 mins five days a week. It may seem like too little for some, but it works for me.
Apart from running, I do all my workouts at home. There are so many good YouTube channels now or programmes that require no or little equipment. I know some people think they’re too fit for Zumba and step class and need to lift weights for an hour for “real results” but for me working out isn’t just about attaining abs.
It’s about:
1. Having time for myself
2. Having fun and feeling happy after
3. Sleeping and managing stress better
4. Being less achey and more agile
5. Having something to talk about that’s not work related and stuff to post on my social media accounts (yes, I’m one of those annoying #postworkout instagrammers).
3. Set weekly goals.
I am goal driven. For me to do anything I need a deadline. Every Sunday I write out a list of goals for the week ahead and plan when I will do them.
For example, this week some of my goals are:
· Carry Alba to park every day (weather permitting)
· Read 15mins with Alba every day
· Read for 30mins daily in the morning
· Start new 15km running programme
· Call parents and message brothers daily
· Send coffee article to N. Pitch new article. CPD. Translation.
(See screenshot below for full breakdown)
4. Take care of appearance
I shower in the morning and get ready for the day. I don’t abide by pyjamas all day long, even if it’called “loungewear.” Everyone is different, but for me to feel good I need to have clean hair, polished nails, and shaved legs. I know it’s superficial but when I feel like a fromp I’m very grumpy.
5. Eat healthy(ish)
I have an addiction to chocolate digestives. So far, I’ve been managing it by eating all out on a weekend, so they don’t tempt me during the week.
However, I usually keep our meals healthy. Breakfast is a protein smoothie during the week and eggs on a Sunday, lunch is either leftovers from the night before or a salad, and dinner is half a plate of veg, a fistful portion of protein and carbs.
I don’t believe in cutting out food groups, and I don’t believe in low fat. Like with working out, I believe that consistent healthyish eating trumps any extreme diet. I enjoy cooking and it only takes me around 30 mins because I use my oven and air fryer a lot and don’t cook anything impressive, but I know cooking isn’t for everyone so it’s about finding healthy options.
I’d love to know how you avoid the covid rut too. Please comment and let me know so I can steal some of your ideas.
Wishing you a lovely productive week ahead!
Xxx,
Sims