Prime Minister Boris Johnson has recently assured the population that all lockdown restrictions would be lifted by June 21st. There is still a long way to go until then so, we need to brace ourselves. The pandemic has changed our notion of time and priorities. Has it been so long already?
Surprisingly, the pandemic has created a unique routine that disrupted our lifestyle. Perhaps, you’ve fallen behind some of your good habits and chores. If it’s the case, don’t panic. We all have! However, there are some things that you can’t leave unattended. It’s time to reset your priorities and catch up with the time the pandemic has stolen away from us. Here are the top 3 things you want to check right now!
Keep up with all administrative tasks
Is it the end of April already? It was January only a moment ago! Lockdown is making it hard to keep up with deadlines when every day feels the same at home. Yet, you want to make sure you’re up-to-date with all your administrative duties. The typical list of to-do will include things like: fill your self-assessment tax return if you’re self-employed, extend your spouse visa if your spouse isn’t British, check when the car MOT is due, pay for road tax or inform the DVLA that you are not driving your car, and renew insurance cover accordingly for your vehicle and home. Delays are understandable, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be forgiven!
Home maintenance can’t be postponed
Most homeowners have turned 2020 into a year of home improvements. As such, minor repairs and works that needed doing are probably already done and dusted. But regular home maintenance, on the other hand… well, that’s fallen behind. If you’re working from home, you are probably finding it hard to keep your interior clean and tidy. Home office workers have been working longer hours during lockdown. As they can’t maintain their work/life routine, they don’t have the time to look after the house. You can introduce small cleaning tasks in your day-to-day routine and ask the kids to help make things easier. You can’t leave dust and clutter accumulate. It’s a recipe for disaster!
Your healthy lifestyle matters
According to a British Nutrition Foundation survey, covid-anxiety and lockdown have affected our healthy habits. Over a quarter of adults say they have not been eating healthily during lockdown. Many feel they have eaten more out of boredom and stress. Almost half of adults struggle to be motivated enough to eat well during lockdown. In short, indulgence has been an important coping mechanism in 2020 and 2021. But, it has dramatic consequences on our mental and physical health. It’s time to take a positive step and remind ourselves that cooking is an act of self-love. Preparing a meal from scratch and making time for working out belong to an essential self-care routine. Let’s get back to it, one step at a time. As you learn to shift your priorities again, your mental health will thank you. And while we’re on the topic, readjust your lifestyle by replacing the sugar rush high with some mindful me-time. It’s good for the mind and the body.
Are you ready to kickstart your journey back to yourself? Falling behind some of your duties is to be expected during a global pandemic. But rather than blaming yourself, take the first step in the right direction. Start sorting out the small things before they affect your life.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.