When our President announced the ominous and inevitable lockdown that was hanging over our country, it was hard to feel nothing but scared and uncertain. There certainly has been so much talk about the coronavirus that it had us spirling between “there’s nothing to worry about here & the world is ending!”. We just want to let you know that you’re not alone in this and we’re here to help you out.
Now that we’re all trying to navigate this ” New Normal ” whether it’s working from home with your partner and the kids, or not seeing your friends every day, or evening missing out on your evening jog or gym check-in, all these things can feel extremely daunting, but we need to remember that there are alternatives and we want to stick to some sort of routine. First things first, let’s be honest, it’s not a normal Saturday or Sunday morning, where you can take your time to get up and start your day or laze about – we’ve tried it and tested it and it just does not work out in the end if you have a lot of work to do and if you are trying to keep sane. So, get up, make your bed and get done as if it was a normal day during the week – suit up if you want to – no one besides your family is there to judge you. Just think of it as your first accomplished task for the day. It’s always best to stick to your usual routine even if you are just at home. And even though we’re missing out on that extremely overpriced latte, go and make yourself a cup in the kitchen – to spice it up and be fancy, make a creamy Dalgona coffee, which is a creamy iced-coffee drink that is a mixture of instant coffee, sugar, and hot water with cold milk. Bustle has a simple and easy recipe that will help you create your perfect morning coffee.
If you are having to work from home and are finding it difficult to just concentrate and get the job done, then every night before going to bed, create a schedule for the following day that includes all the tasks you need to complete. Be sure to schedule your lunch breaks too – we don’t want to create workaholics that become overworked and exhausted. When taking your lunch break, step away from your makeshift desk and grab something to eat from the fridge or cupboard and take a step outside into the garden or out on your balcony to get some fresh air. Once your shift is done, be sure to shut down your laptop or computer and spend some quality time with your family or even yourself. We forget the amount of time traffic takes away from actually relaxing and taking it easy, so we should be grateful we have the time now to do so.
But if you have kids you have to include in this, make plans with the parents of your kid’s friends, to ensure that they are still able to keep in touch with their friends too! Video calls, limited chatting as it’s important that they feel connected and not like their world has drastically changed either. As a parent, having to deal with a global pandemic for yourself can be life-changing, but having to explain this to your child is not an easy task at all.
Create tasks with your kids so that they know what is expected from them during the day. Make time to get away from work and check-in and catch up with your kids. I am sure all parents can agree, that “scheduling & boundaries” are not words your kids would be familiar with, therefore, you’re going to have to be more flexible than ever before when working from home with kids. Be strategic, have fun activities planned, and don’t be so hard on yourself, you did not cause this and neither did they, take an extra 5 minutes for some cuddle time. We sure could all use that right now.
For those that are going through this time alone, control what you can! Get that dusty old book that you keep on telling yourself that you’re going to read this year, or bake that new cake that you saw online yesterday. A positive mindset can come a long way during a time of uncertainty, even though not all of us are able to be around our loved ones, book a time during the week to video call and catch up, share with them, how you are making a difference to flatten the curve, and they will tell you how they are sticking to their new year’s resolution by keeping fit at home, and your best friend will tell you how she’s finally found her favourite top that she’s accused you of stealing all because she’s had the time to rearrange her closet.
It is extremely normal for all of this to feel lonely and scary, it is our natural instinct to feel connected. But we are also creative, and by controlling what we are able to, we bring back a feeling of stability in our lives and those around us.
Remember to always put yours and your family’s well-being first. Don’t be afraid to not want to engage in “Corona” talk and be mindful of others too. With so much fake news out there, it is so important we ensure that we fact check everything that gets sent to us over text, or that we read online. For updates around the pandemic, you can check out the official website for the Coronavirus.
And lastly, we all have major concerns we need to consider during lockdown, like:
Being a bit too lazy to wash your hair, because let’s be honest, you are thinking, “no one’s going to see me anyway. So make your life a little easier and purchase Batiste dry shampoo for a quick and easy “clean hair” look. And if it’s gotten to the point where your kids are sitting with a nest of knots in their hair – be calm, cool and collected, and shop Johnson&Johnson’s detangler to tame those manes.
Considering your self-care moments, but sitting at home with nothing but face wash and moisturiser – there’s not much self-care in that. Don’t stress about it though, we don’t want you creating unnecessary wrinkles. Just pop a few Neutrogena face masks and skincare products into your cart, to give you that radiant glow. We really want you looking extra cute when stepping back out into the world once lockdown is over – and while you at it, we know you haven’t done much shaving of your legs, so pop Veet into your cart – we can call it your “Selfcare Spoils”. And just to top off your red carpet entrance, don’t forget to end your look off with Softlips.
And surely, you have indulged in all things good to eat and have perhaps taken it a little overboard. Take control of the matter and get Gaviscon on your side, just to help settle things down in your tummy. And just for those moments where you go overboard with the delicious Dalmongos and run out of some good instant coffee, don’t you worry, SweepSouth Shop has got you covered so you can shop your Jacobs coffee, in the comfort of your home.
Last but not least, we know how hard it must be to not have the energy to clean or tidy up your home, so why not add some Mr Muscle to your life to help get through the soap scum and dirt. And of course, you have to have a concern for the germs lingering about in the air and on your surfaces – get some Dettol products and Jik to combat that measly monsters that you are unable to see.
