Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
So, the lockdown in South Africa was extended by another million years (jokes, it was another 2 weeks or so). And we get why the government is doing this. But that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a tense, frustrating, and even scary time to live through. The best bit of advice that we’ve found is in the word ‘intention’. You see, the best way to get through a time like this is to be intentional about how you’ll make it to the other side of this global crisis.
To help you apply a bit of intentionality around the extended lockdown period, we’ve created these essential tips:
Be intentional about your mental health
This doesn’t mean that you need to be the epitome of positivity during this time, because putting a smile on your dial doesn’t = a happy mind. Being indoors (or on your property) day in and day out isn’t an easy mental game to play, so it’s important that you be intentional about how you take care of your mental wellbeing.
A few mental health suggestions:
- Build a routine to give you a sense of control.
- Set daily and weekly goals to give you targets to move towards.
- Talk to friends and family to keep in touch and enjoy some social interactions.
- Schedule time to watch the news to avoid media stress.
- Exercise is good for the mind, so sweat it out during a home workout.
- Nourish your body and mind with tasty meals, including treats.
- Invest in activities that make you happy, like drawing or knitting.
- Reach out to friends, family or online mental health support if you’re feeling shaky.
Nourish your body
Right now, your immune system has never been so important, which is why you need to make sure that you’re fighting fit during the lockdown. To that end, this is a good time to be intentional about your physical health.
We suggest that you plan to exercise at home or in your garden, avoid giving in to regular comfort eating sessions (although this isn’t the worst indulgence so long as it doesn’t become the norm) plan nutritious meals, sit outside to soak up some vitamin D, and get a good night’s sleep most, if not every, night.
Get intentional about having fun
Your sense of humour is going to hold you and your loved ones together, so put your funny feet forward and get intentional about having a good time during the lockdown.
A few fun suggestions:
- Watch comedies and comedians to get your laugh on.
- Discover your inner chef and create new recipes.
- Play board games and card games.
- Share funny jokes on WhatsApp with your friends and family.
- Plan for teatime at 10:00 or drinks at 16:00 and even get your extended family to join on Zoom.
- Print out this kids playbook, which holds pages and pages of games and colouring in activities.
- There’s even a playbook for grown ups with adult colouring in activities, brainteasers, sudoku, etc.
The truth is that the world all over is experiencing levels of contagion that weren’t expected and the extended lockdown is intended to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our country, so we need to do our bit to stay indoors. But we also need to stay sane in the process. Luckily, lots of companies are doing their bit to spread cheer and helpful tips, including these royal insurance chaps. We hope that info like this helps you do just that.
