Things you've been doing to feel less flat during lockdown?

[cedarandfern43]

I'm finding myself feeling so flat and unmotivated during this lockdown, stuck indoors with my toddler feeling all the mum guilt for not doing enough. It feels like I'm just trying to reach the end of the day each day and I hate that. I know a lot of us feel this way too but I've had enough of feeling so crappy.

Im finding that I'm doing the wrong things to try and spark happiness like online shopping (even though money is tight due to being a closed self employed business due to covid) or comfort eating. Or even mindlessly scrolling Instagram in the evenings which usually leaves you feeling not good either.

I'm wondering what little things you've been doing to brighten up these dull lockdown days? Please inspire and motivate me 😅

I listen to the radio and have a little dance around and go for an hours walk each day. I do watch a lot of daytime tv, but not so much news. I take a long bath in the evening and go to bed and read.

Sending (and receiving) post! I'm in /r/randomactsofcards on Reddit and have always had penpals. It's a non-screen activity, some social interaction, gets you out to the postbox...and if nothing else it's always interesting to see what comes through the letterbox.

I've been trying to fit in a bit of YouTube yoga. The breathing and stretching just calms me down and makes me feel all warm inside. Cosmic kids yoga with my four year old was a gateway drug!

I’ve actually started slimming world. All the meal planning seems to give some structure to the day!

I feel so flat too. It comes and goes. We're doing home DIY projects and going for a walk nearly every day as long as it's not pouring with rain. We're fortunate to live rurally and amongst the hills, woods and also by water, so we vary our walks and take bird seed and binoculars with us. But it's a different experience to the March lockdown and I do feel flat quite often.

The days that go by most easily for me are when I feel I've achieved something. Whether that's work related, a new walking route, something to improve the home, or a new recipe.

Keen to see what ideas people have for staying upbeat.

My husband and I have learnt to play cribbage and discovered we're evenly matched. It's a bit less brain numbing to have a couple of rounds of cards in the evening once the toddler is in bed rather than vegetating in front of the TV.

I saw someone on here mention cooking around festivities/occasions like burns night, epiphany and so on and have tried to do the same - super bowl is 7 feb if you wanted to cook American, Chinese New Year Valentine’s Day and so on. I try and do some decorations and we all eat at the table. If you’re cooking anyway it might be more fun? Pancake day aligns with the flat mood, I feel it too!

Made omelettes. I mean, that's literally my coping mechanism right now.

We're going with a strategy of celebrate every possible festival/day of X

So on Monday we had haggis for tea and listened to a daft playlist of bagpipe music on Spotify. At the weekend we are having a Japan day, DS(14) and I are going to have a go at making sushi and we'll watch some Studio Ghibli.

When I'm feeling really desperate about cooking tea at the end of the day I put on some very cheesy music and some disco lights (we bought it years ago for a birthday party, it's only small).

I find the planning of these things enjoyable too, gives me something to look forward to as otherwise every day seems the same.

I'm not a complete Pollyanna tho, there are days where I just go for a walk in the rain and cry, but these things are helping.

I feel flat and unmotivated too. I keep ordering random crafts kits online, and they sit in the porch unopened gathering dust! Maybe one day when I have the energy I'll actually do something productive with my evening or weekend

Once a week I go for a pootle around Waitrose and M&S and treat myself to some fancier food than usual. It’s so nice to have some time to browse in peace!

DP took a lunchbreak and I did some yoga. That bit of time to myself in the middle of the day has cheered me up for 3 days!

Oh and also this week daffodils are really brightening up my desk

I’ve downloaded fitness plus onto my Apple Watch. I’m actually really enjoying it! I’ve also bought an Ooni pizza oven...because pizza is life.

Make plans. Very small ones, just to pop something in my calendar, even if it is bake a cake, order carpet samples, read, walk around the garden and make a plan for spring. It makes the day look and feel more purposeful.

Honestly though, I'm just trying to get through it and know that spring and longer days will be here soonish. I've lit candles for dinnertime every night of January and will probably do it through February too.

I've stopped cooking on the weekend. It's a treat for me as the kids are no fun to cook for anyway. We do a takeaway on a sat night and sausage, beans and chips on a Sunday night for all. The takeaways are from all the good restaurants that do it now to stay open so I'm happy to support local restaurants. And the selection and quality is great fun. Haven't had a single Chinese, Indian or Chippie. A fair few don't deliver as we're a bit out of the city but that's nearly better as it's an occasion for DH to put all the kids in the car and go get it. I then get 45mins to drink wine in the blissful peace and know there's no more tidy up for the day.

I’ve got quite down teens and this is probably slightly bending some rules but they need something to aim for during their school week. unfortunately a lot of stuff related to food and drink so not the healthiest:
You tube quiz nights with crisps and dips
Movie night with popcorn
Drive to large park nearby and walk around with take away hot choc
Really long walk over local fields (weather permitting)
Take away night once a week
Pick up drive through costa drinks to take home on way back from supermarket
As above but from McDonald’s
Drive to Gran’s for cup of tea (in our bubble)
Jigsaws

We drew up a list of diy jobs in March and worked through the lot...was a lot easier in the warmer weather....we have achieved a lot....but now its all gone slow...have a 2 hour paint job to finish and cant be bothered...will keep it for feb or march...!!
we are making nice food most days so trying out recipes etc...so thats an achievement as usually eat same stuff...also doing some youtube yoga...its a slow time for everyone so its ok to blob and do little and not feel guilty !

Podcasts
Lockdown parenting hell
Shagged married annoyed
Both make me laugh a lot !
Getting outside and walking the dog.

@RhinestoneCowgirl just had to say your username is one of my fave songs, wonder if there’s a Glenn Campbell Day!

Light candles
Daffodils
Online yoga (I love Down Dog)
Dancing in my kitchen to Heart FM
Delicious food
Occasional takeaway
1000 piece jigsaw always on the go

Drink.

Today I had a potato waffle sandwich, then had a bath & put on a face pack, exfoliated & even cut my toenails. I had so much patience tonight afterwards & I'm still in a lush mood. I realise my choices are extreme & not everybody is comfortable living life on the edge like this though 😂

Try to get out every afternoon with DD for a walk around our local park and play area - I’ve bumped into different people I know each day this week and it’s been great to have a chat with.

I buy myself a bunch of flowers weekly (started during the Nov lockdown).

I bake an different cake each weekend, made a chocolate cake and banana bread so far and making cherry and almond cake this weekend.

Running, yoga, and planning at home gym a proper home gym