Lockdown 2.0

How are you finding the new lockdown?

Hopefully, you’ve felt a bit more prepared then we all did back in March. Certainly, the supermarkets seem to be. My local stores all have plenty of toilet roll, pasta and eggs. And I’m yet to see queues snaking round the block as they did in spring. 

But perhaps in the North West we’re more accustomed to it than our Southern friends. With the tightening of restrictions here in August, we only had a few weeks of freedom and, personally, I always felt another national lockdown was inevitable before the end of the year.

In some ways, I’ve had much less adapting to do than others. I was already predominantly working from home, so nothing changed on that front. Save for not being able to escape to a coffee shop when I got tired of the same view out of my office window. I live alone, so there hasn’t been a sudden change with children or other adults encroaching on my space.

For me, one of the hardest parts of the first lockdown was the lack of sport to watch. Whether it’s football, golf, cricket, rugby, or any big sporting event I’m usually interested. It was bad enough to not be able to have my usual trips to Old Trafford over the summer to watch cricket. But when there was nothing on TV for a few months too? Absolute agony. So I’m extremely thankful this time around for the Premier League giving me my regular fix.

At first, I found it odd watching top-level football with no fans but I got used to it very quickly. I prefer to watch without the fake crowd noises because it’s really interesting being able to hear the shouts on the pitch and from the touchline. I can’t wait for the stadiums to be full again though. There’s nothing quite like that roar of excitement, either being there in person or watching it on TV.

The biggest thing I’ve missed, during both lockdowns, is being able to see friends and family. Zoom calls are great, and I’ve had lots of fun with virtual background images and videos, but it’s not the same as being with people. 

I did manage a trip to London in the summer to see family, including my newborn niece, and that made a huge difference. Whether I’ll get to see them, or my parents in France, over Christmas, I don’t yet know. But I’m thankful for the few days we had if that’s the only time I see them this year.

Hopefully, the nights in playing quizzes and other games online with a glass of something cold will continue even when this is over, as it’s enabled me to catch up with friends who live further away. But I can’t wait to enjoy a pint in a pub with friends again, telling jokes and arguing about who should be playing for England.

I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much about the vaccine. It’s exciting, of course, but there’s a long way to go. Talk of things being back to normal, whatever normal means, by spring feel a bit premature. But it would make for a wonderful Easter if we could get all the family together again.

I think the most important thing during these difficult times is to find things to keep both your mind and body active. Of course, there are many people who are working as normal throughout, such as our keyworkers in the NHS, schools, supermarkets and delivery services. And I’m forever thankful for everything they do. But for me, getting out every day in the fresh air for a walk or run has been crucial. As has regular meditation. Just ten minutes each morning helps set me up for the day with a positive mindset.

If you’re finding yourself without enough to do during lockdown, why not consider volunteering? It’s a great way to donate your free time to help people in need, and it can be really rewarding personally, in terms of making new friends and learning new skills. I’ve recently signed up with the PC Refurb project to be a digital champion, helping people to get online and use the internet to enhance all aspects of their life. Action Together offer lots of different volunteering opportunities across Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside. If you want to help, but you’re not sure what you can do, get in touch with them and they will help to find you the perfect role. 

Have you got any tips on how to survive and thrive during lockdown? Let us know in the comments below.

Author: Luke Morris

Freelance copywriter at www.lukewmorris.com