How to Stay Motivated During Lockdown
Remember, lockdown is temporary. Nothing lasts forever, and neither will the lockdown. So, enjoy the day you're on.
Do you remember when you had to go to work every day? You complained about the people at work.
Now you're not there, you appreciate all the things being at work gives you.
So, for the short while you have at home during lockdown, appreciate all the things you have at home.
Create a structure
One of the things you got from work is structure.
At home there is no structure imposed.
So, create a good structure and stick to it.
For example, I ensure that I am at my desk at 9.00am, ready to do whatever I can to contribute to my future. Today, I wrote this blog.
Even though I don't need to, I insist on working between 9.00am and 1pm. Then in the afternoon I dedicate myself to self-study and I read all the books I've never had time to read.
I do this even on the days I don't feel like it, because structure is important to a healthy mind.
An unstructured day leads to an unstructured brain, and that leads to feeling off-colour.
You can design your own structure, it doesn't matter exactly what it is, so long as structure exists.
Dress-up and put on a good show
On lockdown, it is easy to sit around in your pyjamas. But don't.
The "psychology of clothes" is a profound study, that you might look into after you have finished reading this blog.
What people wear, affects how they feel. That is why people wear uniforms, because clothes give identity.
If you want to feel good, look good. Dress up nicely and put your best foot forward.
Ask yourself, what is great about this?
It is not facts that determine how you feel. It is how you evaluate the facts.
If you cannot change the facts, but you don't like how you feel, are you doomed to feel bad until the facts change in your favour? No!
If you don't like the way you feel, but cannot change the facts, then change how you evaluate the facts, by asking more positive questions such as:
- What is great about this?
- How can I make this more fun?
- How can I profit from this situation?
- How can I use this situation to help others?
Make your home environment more motivational
Whilst being at home during lockdown, it is easy to go stir crazy.
Everyone is affected by their physical environment. So it is important to ask, "What can I do to beautify and embellish my living/working space, to make it more stimulating?
You have five senses: Sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.
- Sight: Put up some new art. Or better still, take up art.
- Hearing: What interesting things could you listen to. Or better still, take up singing, or a musical instrument, or learn a new language
- Touch: What can you do that needs careful hand-eye coordination?
- Taste: This is easy: what could you cook or bake?
- Smell: how can you make your living space fragrant.
You can make your living space feel like a prison or a palace. Make it a palace.
Don't overdose on the news
Keep up with national and international news.
But don't overdose and become a media junky.
Because of the amount of competition, every news organisation - including the BBC - are in a life and death struggle for their existence.
Journalists are NOT paid to get the truth; they are paid to get ratings.
So, the news media sensationalise, dramatise, exaggerate and distort the news to make it more alluring. Click bait.
The news will always be an exaggeratedly negative version of events. You don't need to drown in bad news. It is emotional suicide.
Limit your exposure to once a day.
Phone a friend
There are lots of people who would love to talk to you on the phone. During the writing of this blog I took a call from my mum, who called me by mistake, but we talked for 15 minutes. Since I am on lockdown, I can do that. So can you!
Ring friends from the "good old days".
Yesterday I called Gavin, my old room-mate from college days. I have not seen him for many years, but I called him yesterday and caught up on old times. It was fun.
Phone everyone you know and talk. It's good to talk!
"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." William Shakespeare
Face-to-Face Training Resumes in July
We are pleased to announce that our open training courses will resume in July 2020, in Leeds, London and Birmingham.
Or book a course three or more months in advance and receive an early bird discount.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
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- Prioritisation: How to get the most from every day
- Feedback: the breakfast of champions
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daily structure
In personal productivity, a daily structure is a plan for the whole day that puts tasks into set time blocks, repeats on every normal day, links each block to a clear goal, and is followed with steady self-discipline. When any one of these parts is missing, the pattern stops being a true daily structure.
CG4D Definition
Context: Personal productivity
Genus: Plan
- Sets fixed time blocks for tasks
- Covers the entire waking day
- Ties each task to a clear goal
- Is applied in the same way each day
Article Summary
Lockdown tests us, but you can keep going: choose a set routine, dress well, ask helpful questions, refresh your space, limit gloomy news and phone friends. These small daily steps keep mind and mood strong and show that time at home can still move you forward.