Five Ways To Combat Lockdown Insanity
Updated: Apr 19, 2020
Stuck in lockdown? Try these five tips to keep the crazy at bay
How long did they say this is going to go on for?
The coronavirus-induced lockdown may have only just begun for most but mums around the world are already reaching for the wine, dads are conveniently “busy” and mumble something when asked to do something around the house, children are “bored” and refusing to be homeschooled (seriously, whoever thought that was a good idea?), and toddlers are inevitably having fifty meltdowns an hour.
At least, that’s the case in this house.
Spain is now on day 15 of a pretty strict lockdown that has been extended until at least the 12th of April (*cries*) and the end doesn’t seem to be anywhere in sight.
If you feel like you’re on the verge of going full Britney and bursting through your living room window, wielding your umbrella in a bid for freedom, here are some tips to staying sane while we’re all confined to our homes.
Five ways to combat lockdown insanity
1. Establish a routine. Ok, so I’m not going to lie, you might not stick to your routine every day but some sort of semblance of order will help you feel less stressed about things around the house.
And it will help you achieve what you really need to do: work, teach the kids (by the way, teachers deserve to be paid waaayyyy more than they currently get), make meals, clean, exercise, cut your hair, cry when it inevitably goes wrong and you realise you can’t get to your usual hairdresser for weeks.
Whatever it is, work out your routine and even make a list if you’re a list person.
2. Keep up your social life. Our lives are filled with so much technology so make use of it.
Call someone if you need a chat or a moan about your child/husband/dog/neighbour (delete where appropriate). Try a video chat with friends (pull out the wine and turn your kitchen into a virtual bar, with pub quiz included if you’re feeling creative).
And send every cat meme going to your contact list to give them something else to look at other than exponential graphs showing doom and gloom.
3. Go back to an old hobby. With the kids at home all day you might not have that much time to yourself but try to set aside some time for yourself and a hobby you haven’t done in a while.
Last night I cracked open my paints and paintbrushes (after a cider, naturally) and did some painting for the first time in a while. Truth be told, it left me feeling much more relaxed and ready to face another day in lockdown.
4. Create a post-lockdown bucket list. This is something you can do with your kids and will give you all things to look forward to.
Write down everything you miss doing or wish you could do and keep them somewhere safe. Then, once this all ends, you can work your way through the activities together.
5. Subscriptions, subscriptions, subscriptions. Whether it’s Prime Video, Disney+ (hooray, we’re all saved!) or Netflix, these can be a lifesaver for adults and kids alike.
Netflix and chill has a very different meaning when you’re a mum and the kids have been bouncing off the walls all day: it’s nothing a bit of Peppa Pig or a movie can’t solve.
These tips might help you get through this weird situation. Have you got any other suggestions or ideas? Let me know in the comments and don't forget to subscribe to the Malaga Mama blog.