Living with Lockdown

So this month I'm going to talk about "Living with Lockdown". I'm not going to talk about Covid19 or politics, I'm going to take a look at why we're so over it and what we can do to maintain or improve how we feel when we can't carry on with life as we knew it.

Melbournians have been in lockdown for more than 7 out of the last 18 months, whilst Sydney is into the 9th week of what looks like a never ending lockdown. Here in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley, we have been relatively lucky with lockdown starting 2 weeks ago. In a recent article on the ABC News website, Professor Ian Hickie from Sydney University's Brain and Mind Centre, states that people are exhausted from being in a prolonged state of stress. He goes on to say that this is contributing to the increase in lockdown breaches and we all know that that will inevitably lead to longer lockdowns. In short, it's shitty!

We also know that it's ok not to be ok. In an interview, Professor Hickie referred to recent increased mental health issues in the community as the "shadow pandemic". We have lost much of our personal autonomy, many of our connections and we don't know when it will end. He has released a podcast "Minding your Mind" which I recommend you listen to. Now, I'm not a Psychologist or a Counsellor: if you think might need a mental health professional, I highly recommend checking out www.thrivewellnesshub.com.au where there are a number to choose from. Here are some other helpful contact numbers:

Some commentators believe that what really bothers us in lockdown is the loss of our "third space", that place outside of home and work/school where we see people we know, have a chat or a coffee and feel that we belong. Examples would be sporting events, community gardens, farmers markets, etc. Dr Timothy Sharp from The Happiness Institute says "In the absence of this belonging and connecting, we miss out on so much of what it means to be human; especially a happy human". Dr Tony Matthews from Griffith University explains that when we move from space to space, e.g. work to home, we change our mindset. When this doesn't happen and we are stuck at home, we get stuck in a mental loop. This is why it's important to try to separate work/school, family and leisure activities if we can. Even if it just means cleaning the work and school stuff off the dining table at the end of the day. Dr Sharp says that talking about non-work and non-school topics after putting these things away will help us transition to the next "space".

If you've been following along on the blog, I've recently talked about self care and gratitude and these are things that can really help you out in lockdown. What have you included in your self care that might help you create a "third space"? I usually get together with friends about once a month to scrapbook. Last week we decided to scrapbook via Skype. We can craft and chat and drink coffees together even when we can't be together. Something else that I do that helps me is that I follow a number of Facebook pages that make me happy. I'm a self-confessed Seinfeld addict so I follow a Seinfeld fan page where we quote the show, say dumb stuff and feel like we belong. I love nature and animals so I follow a lot of those sorts of pages too. Watching animal videos really cheers me up when I'm feeling in a funk. What about exercise? I'm lucky that I can just walk outside but I think some parts of Sydney aren't allowed to do that at the moment (?). There are so many exercise videos on YouTube, from gentle yoga to HIIT routines. There's something for everyone.

I just wanted to do a little shout out to the home schooling parents. It's a tough job that makes us really appreciate those in the teaching field. I have come across a few things that might be helpful. During the first lockdown last year, some teacher friends of mine started a YouTube channel with daily challenges for kids stuck at home stuckerskids I also found this school Facebook page that has great stuff on it CessnockPS , especially a post from the 15th of August that talks about going easy on the kids. It might be worth checking out the Facebook page of your local school to see if they have anything interesting going on.

I know we're all really busy at the moment trying to keep on top of things but I'm really concerned about those struggling financially in our community. All the op shops are closed and I'm not sure about the food banks. I'm just going to list some places that help with food in case you or someone you know needs help: SoulCafeNewcastle FoodNotBombsNewcastle Survivorsrusincorporated grainerycare

The important thing to keep in mind during lockdown is to take care of yourself and your family and keep an eye on your friends. Reach out for help if you need it. I'm going to add a summary I pulled together to give you some guidance for the day to day. Keep to your routine and stay safe out there!