Evan’s 5 Tips To Start Your Day During Lockdown

If you’re not sick of the living room or your bedroom yet, credit to you.

If the prospect of going for the same 2 kilometre walk around your house for the second time every day still excites you, well I’m impressed.

And if you have somehow managed to refrain from sticking your nose in the fridge every ten minutes of every day, please share your secrets.

Whether you’re in solitary confinement or in a royal rumble with your family or spouse, there’s no easy place to be at the moment.

I wake up each morning without the faintest notion of how the day might go. Am I looking down the barrel of yet another mindless drag or am I at the top of my game throwing hooks at any problems that arise?

It’s usually make-or-break by around breakfast time.

Start the day right and you can be in for an easy ride. Allow it to get off on the wrong foot then it’s a race against time to get back on track. So I’m experimenting with the best ways I can start my day.

1) I suppose if you really think about it, your day begins before you’ve woken up. When did you go to sleep? I’m not sure you can make a worse start than allowing yourself to sleep in until mid-day. Feeling sluggish is always a consequence of extended lie- ins, usually brought about by needless ‘Netflix’ time. It’s just too easy to start the day late. Get up early and get a run at it.

2) Secondly. What about bananas? Or kiwis? Or oranges/apples/pears? Some kind of fruit. Well yes, breakfast in general. But the fruit makes me feel like I’m getting my vitamin requirements and that makes me feel on top of something. Then whatever else does it for you but it’s worth making an effort here.

3) After that try making a list. Just to bring some structure to the day. Even if you’ve got nothing to put on it, schedule your nose-in-fridge time. Keeping to a familiar routine is reassuring and it might keep some of those anxious thoughts at bay.

4) Then, and perhaps most importantly, find the time to chat with someone in the morning. On the phone or in your house. Conversation keeps you sane. Unless you’re talking about Coronavirus. Keep it light.

5) And lastly, why not get a session in? Of course I’m going to say train. Be it boxing or running or walking (maybe even a core workout). Exercise helps you feel better and why not feel good from the start of the day? That feeling might just last.

Before I finish, I think it’s most important not to put too much pressure on yourself. It’s a good time to get things done but only if you’re feeling up to it. Otherwise that pressure might allow us to feel worse. It’s a pandemic. You can be excused for feeling less ‘up to it’.

This is basic advice, but the basics are all we have right now and it’s easy to forget them. If you think any of these tips might improve your day; give them a try. Hope it helps.