Are you getting tired of the lockdown?

We have been in lockdown for over three months now. At the moment we are allowed a little bit more but what will the future hold? When will the Universities open up again? When will you be able to use the lab again? The rules have relaxed a bit concerning travel and big groups, but some things are still uncertain.
Maybe we will experience a second wave of infections, maybe the rules will become stricter, maybe the rules will relax a little bit more.

This uncertainty can be very daunting.

Sometimes it creates panic, loss of interest and motivation or it makes you feel really down. All of this isn’t surprising.

What is the solution to make you feel better?

Structure is the magic word: make sure you have a structure in your day and in your week. Create fixed moments in your day: times to work, to relax, to finish, to plan. You could copy the way the Benedictines are using structure in their daily lives.
Plan fun things in your week. If you don’t do that, you probably miss out on doing anything fun. These can be small things, like listening to music, reading a book, meeting friends digitally or with the 1.5-meter distance, go for a walk in nature or take a bike ride. Dance a couple of minutes each day. Research from Radboud University shows the great effects of dancing!
Why don’t you watch my webinar again about working from home with many practical tips?

For some people, this forced “rest” period will have positive effects. Ask yourself: what goes well, what do you want to incorporate in the future when things will be the same as before the Corona crisis. What have you discovered as valuable in these strange times?

And don’t forget:

Be kind to yourself. You are allowed to struggle, to feel uncertainty. This is all part of life. You will always have days which aren’t good days. These will also pass.