Tips for Staying Happy, Healthy and Sane During Lockdown

For the past year, the majority of the world has been in some form of lockdown or another. The onset of lockdown presented a daunting prospect for parents across the globe: no school. As terrifying as the pandemic itself has been, nothing struck fear in the heart of parents more than the idea of being with their kids 24/7. So, with ‘alone time’ – including trips to the bathroom! – being woefully unavailable for the foreseeable future, how are stressed-out moms supposed to maintain a sense of self, health and a shred of sanity?

Eat, Sleep, Exercise, Repeat

Whilst maintaining your physical health in lockdown could be considered difficult – what with all the extra time on your hands coupled with an ever-present hum of anxiety creating the perfect environment for snack overindulgence – it’s not impossible. Whether you’re one of those moms into fitness, or more of a couch-lover, there’s plenty of ways to stay healthy.

Fancy joining an online community made up of over 75,000 moms, with access to online workouts that can be streamed on a range of devices and tasty, tailored nutrition plans? Then it’s time to welcome Moms Into Fitness, a fitness, nutrition and self-love program – made by a mom, for moms – into your life. It has everything you need to maintain both your physical and mental wellbeing, whatever your level, and, most importantly, is strictly for adults. 

‘S’ is for Self-Care

Covid-19 has turned ‘self-care’ into a bit of a buzzword this past year, with suggestions ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime. If you ignore some of the more outlandish methods being promoted, the concept at the core of it is actually incredibly important. All the internalized stress and anxiety caused by life in lockdown will be wreaking havoc on your body, without you even being aware of it. That constant upset stomach? Stress. The headache in the evening? Anxiety. 

Set aside an hour or so each day, plonk your kids with the hubby and then take a nap, indulge in a bubble bath, watch trash with the door locked and plenty of snacks, go for a jog or a walk in the park, paint your nails, journal – just make sure you do something that is entirely for you, with no interruptions.   

Be Kind to Yourself

Times are hard. Lockdown is difficult. We’re all struggling in one way or another. So, now more than ever, it’s important that you’re gentle on yourself. Try to avoid writing endless lists of tasks, setting impossible, rigid routines and expecting miracles of yourself. This also means allowing yourself to be sad, frustrated, or exhausted when you feel it. Bad day? It won’t hurt to let the kids have ice-cream for breakfast, sit them in front of a film or at the table with an activity kit, or order takeout (as long it doesn’t become a habit). Sometimes, relaxing on the rules a little can help preserve your sanity!

Although lockdown seems never-ending, things are starting to look up, with it looking likely that society will slowly start to open up and return to normality soon. In the meantime, however, it’s important to maintain your health, happiness and sanity by utilizing some of the suggestions above!