Over the last few months, that have turned our lives upside down, I along with many others have had to adapt and swiftly adopt a new way of life, that is a far cry from what we once knew. As hard as this has been and what I'd only describe as a scramble at the start to completely flip everything upside down......many positives have come out of this too. It has been during this time that I've come to appreciate new aspects of my life.
The slowing down the pace certainly springs to mind here. Which brings with it the time spent enjoying the simpler things in life; such as a bike ride, an evening stroll, watching as the garden or other natural areas close by come to life, transforming during spring and into summer. I've also enjoyed the morning, tuneful accompaniment from the birds outside my house.
These things have always been there, however with the slowing down the pace, comes an opportunity to really appreciate these small facets of life and feel tuned in to our natural surroundings.
This change to our day to day lives has not come without challenges though. One that has been apparent for me recently has been the difficulty that can come from working from home and the many things we lose when we do this, including being able to clearly separate our work lives from our home / social lives (But that's perhaps another blog post).
This may be surprising for some people as I know how much a pain this daily activity can be...depending on where you live and how you get to work.....but I really miss my daily commute to work. I am lucky as my place of work is not too far away and I enjoy cycling there on a daily basis, so avoid the typical stuck in traffic, in a car or public transport scenario that can often take an annoyingly large chunk of time out of our day. But whether it's the cycling, walking in or even walking to get a bus - this is an integral part of the day that without it I am noticing I am not as alert in the morning, not getting those little bits of exercise in, (that I don't really count as exercise)....it's just my commute. But it ticks both boxes and what i'm noticing is what a difference this makes to my own wellbeing.
I have therefore, recently taken to trying to incorporate a morning stroll through the woods next to my house into my morning routine.
This has felt like such a game changer!
I'm noticing more and more of what little acts of self care I need to adopt to maintain a level of wellbeing, especially during such a peculiar time in our lives. For me this comes in may forms, but this morning routine has taken it's place high up on my list to help me feel I can start my day well and have the same alertness, feel good energy I would, if I'd have done my usual commute to work. I feel incredibly lucky to live in one of the greenest cities and have always felt connected to it's green spaces.....but now more than ever, they are my main resource to affect positive change in myself and incorporate into my daily routine. My daily commute may have changed significantly, but for me, ensuring I have a version of that in the first place has become integral to shaping my day and my overall sense of wellbeing.
I wonder what new routines others have found helpful and / or even felt essential during this time? It would be great to hear your hints, tips and general life hacks that have kept you afloat over the past few months. Written by Ben Webster
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