Life during lockdown starts to feel like groundhog day after a while doesn’t it?
Each day starts to feel the same when you’re so restricted in what you can do, where you can go, and who you can see. Part of the problem is that once you get into that lockdown rut of doing the same thing day in, day out, it can be really hard to find the motivation to do things differently.
And for busy families juggling home life, work, and school it can feel almost impossible to find the time to do anything differently. You don’t have to do anything too crazy though. Just making a few small changes to your routine can be enough to mix things up.
Here are 7 little things you can try to shake up the monotony of life in lockdown and hopefully make things feel a bit less groundhog-day-like.
1. Mix up your meal plan
I don’t know about you, but I find it all too easy to end up eating the same meals week after week. Especially if I do the food shopping online and just add items from my favourites list each time.
So mixing things up and trying some new recipes can be a great way to start getting away from that feeling that every day and week is the same during lockdown.
There are loads of ways to do this too, you could:
- browse recipes online or flick through old recipe books for inspiration
- hand control over to your children and get them to choose something new they want to try
- try a recipe delivery service like Hello Fresh or Gusto
- see which local restaurants are offering delivery or make-it-yourself boxes
- keep it as simple as having breakfast for dinner now and then
2. Find new routes to walk as a family.
I know. We’re all fed up of the highlight of our day being ‘going for a walk’, but when it’s pretty much the only thing you can do outside the house then I think we need to keep embracing it!
It is another thing that we can fall into a rut with though, walking to the same places via the same route every time we go out.
So make an effort to try and find new places locally that you can walk to. Let the children get curious and turn down different roads and see where you end up.
You can also mix up your walks with the children by turning them into scavenger hunts, going nature spotting, or trying a photo walk.
3. Find a new spot at home
We’re all creatures of habit really, and when we’re at home all the time we naturally find ourselves drawn to our normal ‘spots’ during the day.
After a while though, sitting in your same old seat, looking at the same four walls around you can really start to get old. So try looking for a new ‘spot’ to sit in. Even just sitting on the other end of the sofa with your coffee can give you a slightly different perspective on the room!
If you’re working from home then try moving your desk to a new part of the house, or set yourself up to work from bed for the afternoon.
You could also change things up at home by:
- rearranging the furniture in a room to give it a whole new look
- repainting a wall or hanging up some new wall art or family photos
- getting new bedding and soft furnishings in a colour you wouldn’t usually pick
4. Learn a new skill
Life during lockdown might be monotonous, but for loads of people it’s also still incredibly busy. And you might think you don’t have any time to learn a new skill during all this, but don’t dismiss this idea out of hand.
Learning a new skill is a great way to break out of going through your day on auto-pilot, and doesn’t have to take much time. There are all sorts of things you can learn, either by yourself or with your children, in about 10 minutes a day, like:
- a new language – I’ve been learning Welsh on Duolingo since the first lockdown and it’s brilliant!
- first aid – you could look for a course to follow at home or watch videos from someone like St John’s ambulance on YouTube
- how to draw – there are so many drawing tutorials to follow on YouTube that break it down and make it fun
- playing a musical instrument
5. Change up your coffee break
Along the same lines of mixing up your meal plan, trying something new with your coffee break can give you something little to look forward to and get you out of the rut of having the same thing, at the same time, day in day out.
You could try a new flavoured coffee, or if you’re a tea-drinker then try something different like biscuit tea for a sweeter drink.
And if you always have the same treats alongside your cuppa, then try mixing that up too. Bake up some chocolate banana bread, make some oaty biscoff biscuits or try your hand at slow-cooker fudge.
6. Try a new type of exercise
Taking time through the week to move your body is so important for mental health, as well as keeping fit and healthy physically. But, again, this is an area where it’s so easy to get stuck in a rut during lockdown when it feels like your options are really limited.
When you start looking though, there are so many different types of exercise you can try in the comfort of your own home. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- try HIIT workout videos on YouTube.
- download the C25K (couch to 5k) app and give running a try.
- follow some yoga sessions on YouTube. Yoga with Adriene is really popular at the moment, and she has workouts for whatever mood you’re in.
- get dancing – either stick your favourite music on and make up your own moves, or follow a tutorial online.
7. Give a new genre a go
Whether you relax by reading a book or watching TV you probably have a genre that you normally go for, so try picking out something new to change things up a bit.
If you normally watch horror shows then give a light-hearted comedy a try, and if you would automatically pick out a reality tv show, then try a real-life documentary instead. The same goes for books, if you tend to read the classics then give a new voice a go.
If you’re not sure where to start with finding some new and different then ask your friends and family to recommend something that they think you wouldn’t normally pick out.
You don’t have to do all of these things, but just trying to do one or two things differently each week can really make a difference to that feeling that every day is the same during lockdown.
Do you have any other ideas for things to try to break up the monotony? Please do leave me a comment and inspire me!
This post is shared with a moment with Franca and KCACOLS.
Great tips – we are definitely guilty of being stuck in a rut with meals! Need to try some new recipes and make dinners more interesting 🙂 #KCACOLS
It’s so easy to get into a meal rut though isn’t it! Hope you find some interesting new recipes to try soon! x
I’ve been feeling like I”m in the same cycle day after day, week after week. In the beginning we took walks, and visited different parks and gardens nearby. Then the weather got colder, and light is lessened. I’m looking forward to spring and when we have more privileges again. Cheers #KCACOLS
It has all felt a lot harder over the winter hasn’t it, so much more restrictive in the walks you can do and amount of time even you can spend outside! Roll on spring! x
We are definitely being monotonous with our meal plan and like you say, it’s because it’s quicker and easier to click ‘add favourites’ than to shop around. I do miss browsing and picking up things that I fancy.
Katrina x
#KCACOLS
That is one thing I really do miss, just being able to take my time browsing in the supermarket, seeing what catches my eye! x
we’ve added board games to our routine and picked up a dart board. Been too cold and snowy to do much outside this past week. #KCACOLS
It has been hard lately hasn’t it, with the weather keeping us all indoors so much! x
These are some really good ideas. Think I will be giving them a go myself. Thanks for sharing.
I hope they help if you do give some of them a go! x
I love the positivity of this post. It certainly is starting to feel like groundhog day, especially when it is difficult to get outside during the cold winter months. I look forward to my exercise, food and a book or Netflix series before bed. As you say I have been trying to change things up so its something to look forward. It is amazing how happy a chocolate donut can make you right now! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time.
Thank you! I’ve definitely been enjoying finding new things to watch on Netflix in the evenings! x
Thanks I so needed this it is really beginning to feel like groundhog day here. I like the idea of changing up the coffee break and a new exercise #KCACOLS
I really hope the ideas here help! x
Great ideas, I have been moving the furniture around from time to time as it does give me a new lease of energy x x #KCACOLS
It really does help doesn’t it! x
What great ideas, My son has learnt the recorder during lockdown. I have loved relearning Spanish using DuoLingo. It’s amazing how much I have forgotten from learning it at school. #KCACOLS
Oh I dread to think how much French and German I’ve lost since I left school! x