5 Tips for Staying Productive and Following a Routine in the newly announced Lockdown

Working, studying, and being productive during this national lockdown is

hard.

Having more time on our hands and having to stay at home does not automatically equal productivity. It's easy to feel like all this extra time means we should be finishing those projects that life has gotten in the way of. Or getting that body that we never had time to train for before.

That kind of pressure and those high expectations only lead to one thing - n o t h i n g.

You feel pressured, you feel stressed out - so you stay on your couch or in your bed and you scroll through your feeds. Probably feeling worse watching other people seemingly achieve things you could be, and 'should' be achieving.

Well, here's me to tell you - YOU'RE NOT ALONE! Breathe.

It's okay to just BE during this very weird time in our lives.

I've come up with some tips to help you work/study/live from home whilst we wait for this to all blow over:

1. Create a routine. Personally, Monday to Friday means business. I do my coursework, freelance work and acting work from Monday to Friday during 9am to 5pm. My housemates are also working from home and this feels right as this is when they are working too. Wake up, get dressed (no need to be fancy but get out of those pyjamas), have a coffee and your breakfast. Do the dishes and get to work. If you don't have work, set a plan for the day. Find a workout, find DIY projects to do, find an online course. Keep your mind and body moving. Obviously, we're all human, and sometimes I wake up late, sometimes I have a bad day and can't get anything done. That's okay. Give yourself a break.

2. Dress for work. When the lockdown first happened, I found myself typing away at my laptop in the same clothes I had gone to bed in. I felt gross and lethargic and unproductive. Get dressed. Put some makeup on if you want to. Take advantage of the day time lighting and snap a few selfies. It's good to feel good about yourself.

3. Take breaks. 11am means a coffee break. 1pm is lunch. 3pm is time to walk the dog. 5pm is time to do whatever I want. Even if I'm not finished with the current piece I'm working on, I leave it for the day. Your mental health is so important in a time like this. Even if you don't feel like it, go outside for a few minutes. Text your family and friends. Give yourself a break and take things day by day.

4. Exercise. I know you've heard it all before. But those endorphins will make you feel better and work better. Find some YouTube workouts to follow - there are even 15 minute ones that really tire you out! Go for a walk. You don't have to break a sweat or pass out to effectively work out your body.

5. Find an outlet. Whether it be video games, writing, drawing, painting, singing or training your dog - establish some hobbies. You are going to have free time and you are going to feel lost at some point. Make sure you have some outlets you can express yourself through and relax whilst doing.