It seems almost unbelievable that we’ve been living on Planet Lockdown for over seven weeks now. As we enter our 50th day in isolation, I thought I’d share some of the highs and lows we’ve experienced, and how we’re trying our best to remain balanced. I guess the truth is, that as with all things balance, sometimes we cope better than others.
Early on in the lockdown, everything was new and, like everyone, we were trying to learn some new daily routines. It was only a few days after my birthday and, over the weekend, we’d realised that the world was changing very quickly. Like many, I wasn’t too concerned about the virus in those first few months, but as cases increased closer to home and we saw how it seemed to be affecting people with health issues, I began to get worried. Lou had spent much of the previous year seeing various doctors and specialists about ongoing heart palpitations and severe breathlessness. They’d identified an issue with one of her valves, but just before the lockdown, a second scan had proved inconclusive and we were back to square one. Concerned that we didn’t know what was really happening, I suggested we isolate just to be on the safe side. A day later, isolation was enforced upon us anyway. I had no concept of how long it would last, but I don’t think it occurred to me just how long we might be looking at.
Challenges
Lou’s grandad had been unwell recently and was moved out of hospital into a care home not long before lockdown began. Not long into our isolation, her mum rang to say that he’d not got long, and so it proved. She was fortunate enough to get to see him before he passed and the care home were wonderful in enabling this to happen. Her grandad was extremely important to her; since his passing I’ve come to learn just how much he shaped her into the person she has become; an adventurous spirit full of dreams of travel, with the most positive outlook on life you could ever wish for.
To see that positivity disappear in the first few weeks of isolation was heart-breaking, and made worse by the fact that she hasn’t her usual outlets of time with family, getting out every day to do her PT sessions and yoga classes, and our regular bike or camping adventures. For a number of weeks, she didn’t cope at all. It was hard, and I wondered how many times these things were happening up and down the country, and indeed across the world. Whether losing someone to Coronavirus, or to natural causes, there will still be a huge amount of grief, and that process is usually helped by spending time with friends and loved ones. Yes we’ve all become experts in FaceTime, Skype and Zoom, but it can never replace human contact, especially at the times it’s most needed.
Around this grief, we’ve had the financial worries that so many others have experienced. Almost all of our income relies on being there with someone, and in the fifty days since lockdown, we’ve barely earned a penny. We’re also yet to receive any government support of any kind; I won’t bore you with the details, and I certainly have no intention of pointing fingers, criticising or blaming anyone. I’m fed up of hearing the words, but these really are unprecedented times, and I think that will always make it incredibly hard to ensure everyone is looked after. In my own head, I actually see it as a failing on my part for not building a business that was more able to withstand situations like this and for not doing more forward-planning. I think that’s why, in truth, I’ve actually found the financial aspects of this situation the least stressful. We’ve had to make some very drastic changes and we’re hugely fortunate to have parents who are so kind and supportive, something many I am sure do not have.
In the early days of the lockdown, we put a great deal of time and effort into creating a new online version of balance. I would spend upwards of 10-12 hours each day learning about online technologies, creating video content and downloading, uploading and editing. Sadly, because our house move was put on hold indefinitely just a few days before it was due to go through, we didn’t have the funds I’d hoped for to be able to market and grow this version of balance. We had to make a decision to continue taking a risk, putting money into it, in the hope that would it grow naturally, or reduce our expenditure and focus on surviving. In the end, we chose the latter and as strange as it may sound to you, I’m sort of glad we did. Trying to build a social media presence and daily filming isn’t really something that provides either of us with balance. In truth, we’re far more off-line people than on-line. We love books and gardening, walking, cycling and exploring, plants, animals and nature. Those are the things that best represent our values and put smiles on our faces. Joe Wickes is under no threat any time soon.
Positives
Looking back over the last seven weeks, I realised that there are many things I love about this new world in which we live. I wish with all my heart that it didn’t have to come at the cost of so many people, and hope and pray that all of our combined actions make a difference and save lives. At the same time, I look forward and think about which parts of our new routine I’d like to keep. They include:
Food and drink - we’ve always been pretty healthy anyway, but since the lockdown, we’ve lost over a stone between us. Some of you might think we didn’t need to, but we feel good for it and it’s shown in many ways. With the restrictions on shopping, we’ve definitely bought less biscuits and crisps; in the first few weeks, we actually bought less food altogether as there was just nothing on the shelves. We drink a small amount of alcohol - sometimes we have a bottle of wine between us that we share over Friday and Saturday evening, sometimes we go mad and Lou has the wine whilst I have a single beer each night. It’s plenty and it really gives us something to look forward to.
Overall activity levels - again, we certainly weren’t inactive, but since the changes, I can count the number of days I haven’t achieved 10,000 steps on the fingers of one hand. All bar one of those was because I was out on the bike instead, and the single instance was a day of rest to make sure I wasn’t overdoing it. We’ve found a lovely balance of walks, rides, runs, yoga and weights and we’re feeling good for it. Arguably it’s actually this more than the food that’s the reason for the weight change. Many days in ‘normal life’ I’d be sat in the van, driving from session to session, unable to be quite as active as I’d like. It’s been interesting to see how treasured getting outside has become during this period - maybe we all took it for granted beforehand; it was always there if we felt like it. Now we’ve had it limited (and in some countries, removed altogether), we’ve realised how precious it is, not only to our physical health but our mental wellbeing as well.
The peace and quiet - I doubt we’ll be fortunate enough to retain this, but hopefully we may see some lasting changes in behaviour, some through choice and others through economic circumstances. The reduction in noise from the motorways and air traffic has been wonderful. It’s been even nicer to see the impact that it’s been having on the health of our planet, and you’d hope it might make governments, institutions and individuals realise that we can make a difference through action.
The revitalisation of nature - I guess this always happens at this time of year anyway, and maybe my awareness of it has been heightened by the tranquillity I’ve just talked about, but plants and animals do just seem happier, more alive and more abundant.
Earlier to bed - many of you will have noticed your sleep has improved in recent weeks, with far less of us having to get up early for the dreaded commute. A few extra minutes in bed can have a big impact on energy levels, and we’ve also noticed ourselves heading to bed earlier, probably because we’re not trying to cram as much into the evenings after a day of work, or maybe because the additional exercise is tiring us out. Either way, it’s an excellent habit to get into.
Writing time - whilst Lou is clawing at the walls, craving people’s company and the chance to get back to work, the lockdown has given me the chance to unleash my inner recluse. I’ve always enjoyed solitude and my own company, and since we had to pull back from the online workouts, I’ve found a real joy in having time to just sit and write. It’s what I enjoy most, it’s how I feel I best express myself and it’s what I can see myself doing for the rest of my days. It’s been equally wonderful to have more time to read - we’re both working through books at a speed we’ve never known, a bit like this guy…
In may ways, it feels bad to talk about things we’ve enjoyed about the changes to life, but we must always seek to protect our mental wellbeing, especially in times where there is so much to be sad or stressed about. If the Coronavirus has taught us anything, it’s that, when all is said and done, money and business don’t really matter. They’re not the secrets to ever-lasting happiness. Rather, it’s family, health, time with friends, experiences, living in line with your values, and using the short time we have on this earth to do the things we love. If we come out of this with nothing more than that understanding, we’ll be ok.