By the time you are reading this, you’ll be + one week into your lockdown and if you live alone then you’ll be halfway into insanity. Yes you were a little crazy before the lockdown but now you can hear the cockroaches reply when you ask them ‘uyaphi?’ just before you murder them. It should not be answering you. I repeat, it should not be replying to you. If it hasn’t started replying to you then that is a good sign. But if you do instead go on and on for more than a solid minute about how these roaches are disrespecting you in your own damn house by showing up in your presence, then maybe just maybe you are on the edge.
If you need your sanity to go about your business as usual after lockdown then read on because I am coming to your rescue with some lockdown activities and tips that will have you missing isolation when you’re back at work or school.
These activities are also encouraged if you live with one other person because you are definitely quarter to murdering them. The numbers only get worse from here because on lockdown, the less the merrier. I think it is because you are compelled to stay at home with your lockdown mates, knowing you can’t escape them only makes it worse and little things start getting to you, like the sound of them chewing or sipping hot tea.
Reading
I am pretty sure we all have a ton of books we have promised and swore to ourselves that we will be reading soon enough. And if you are tough on yourself you may have said something crazy like a book a week will keep your brain sharp. This is the time to be reading up those books on the shelf or on your device. Some of my highly recommended books include:
- You are a badass at making money by Jen Sincero
- Open your mind to receive by Catherine Ponder
- The 12 week year by Brian Moran
- The 5am club by Robin Sharma
- And if you’ve been living under a rock, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.
These books are enough to get you hooked into reading and wishing lockdown was a little longer.
You can also read books targeted towards a specific area of your life you feel you need guidance and improvement on.
Exercising
I personally prefer to do this one early in the morning but you can freestyle according to your schedule. You can do many workouts in the comfort of your home (look up home workouts) that do not need complicated equipment.
If you do not have dumbbells you can use your food, instead of 2kg dumbbells you can use 2kg sugar. It is the same mass. You can also do targeted workouts. Read this article on keeping in shape during lockdown https://swazidailynews.com/2020/04/03/keeping-in-shape-during-lockdown/.
Online courses:
There are hundreds of free online courses you can use to advance your career and come back professionally stronger than you left. With the world being hit by a pandemic, retrenching is inevitable. My advice would be to make your CV prettier than your colleagues with an added qualification. This short online qualifications take a greater part of an afternoon so you should have more than enough by Friday the 17th. I highly recommend you look up Alison or Coursera.
Skills
This is your time to learn skills such as cooking, baking, knitting, crocheting, wig making and applying nail gel. You can use video platforms like YouTube. You can even learn how to trade forex so you can have a money making hobby.
Hobby
Pick an indoor or yard hobby such as yoga, Pilates, a blog or website, adopt a pet, DIY projects. This is your time.
Here are some little tips on keeping safe and sane during this time
- Call your loved ones that you are not with during this time often.
- Limit your shop runs to at most once a week, just enough not to panic buy yet keeping a constant supply of the essentials. Write a list before this run so you can stick to it. Avoid busy hours like lunch and 5-7pm.
- Whenever you watch a movie, make an event of it: popcorn, snacks and blankets (if it is cold) with the lights off (if it is in the evening).
- Don’t neglect personal hygiene. Bathe, comb and brush your teeth. I am not saying bathe daily hawu but do not look like a hobo.
- Practice your I’m, am; were, where, we’re; there, they’re, their; lose, loose, lost; chose, choose; whose, who’s; here, hear, her; etc. Feel free to consult your dictionary. No judgments.
- Learn new words. A new word a day.
- Add a slice of lemon to your morning tea, it is great for your immune system.
- If you are with lockdown mates, have game nights or make a million Tiktoks (see https://www.tiktok.com/en/).
- Nothing hits like finding new music, so if you live in the world of Wi-Fi milk and honey then do so on YouTube.
- Channel O (DStv channel 320) has lockdown parties every Friday and Saturday from 18:00 to 00:00 until and including the date of 11th of April. Tune in and groove.
- Apparently vodka is the sanitizer of the internal body. Do with that information what you will.
- Do not make babies.
- Stay home. Stay safe.
