Today sees my 14th day working from home and the second week for my other half who can’t work from home as he is a painter and decorator. However, the big bonus is I am getting my house decorated. Always a silver lining. So far, we are both safe and well and enjoying exploring being together 24 hours a day. With our busy lives we can often be so tired that relationships become difficult because you don’t communicate. I know when I have been dashing about doing work and Badminton, going to the gym etc. I am often so exhausted that I just fall asleep after tea, then wake up and go to bed, leaving my partner alone downstairs.
In these strange times, it can be very difficult for everyone and I've come to appreciate that. When I started to work from home, I hoped and prayed that it wouldn’t be for long and that I would survive it. That was difficult for me to accept at first, but then in a lightbulb moment I accepted that this is affecting billions of people worldwide and I should accept the situation. When I did this, handling it became so much easier. I thrive better when I have a routine so initially, I thought about putting one down on paper. This didn’t work, for me it was too restrictive. It was like being back at school. My resistance was making me anxious, so I decided that there would be a routine but each day I may do things in a different order. This has worked so much better for me now and I still have things to put into that routine.
One of my great loves is keeping fit. At 62 I have never been so fit. My climb back from the depths of despair started almost three years ago. All my life I had made excuses about not exercising, at school I tried anything and everything not to go swimming or do PE. My anxiety levels, even then, skyrocketed at the mere mention of doing something active. I did try, when I was 21, to start rowing but not long after I started, my dad died, and I was really hit hard so gave it up. I don’t remember exactly when I met, a very inspirational, lady that helped and nurtured me into getting more physically active. I remember again, at the beginning, making excuses not to do stuff but Hannah wouldn’t have any of it. I shall forever be grateful to her. My journey to getting fit was slow but I met more fantastically inspirational people involved in sport who helped and encouraged me on my journey. My greatest love is playing Badminton and I have met even more people who once again have helped and encouraged me.
What, you may ask, has this to do with our current situation? Well, I just wanted to share with you how I am coping with the lack of playing Badminton and going to gym. My first week at home some sports activities were still happening, and I managed to attend, when I could. However, now being on lockdown things are different. So, part of my routine is to complete a 30-minute workout each weekday morning, with a fitness instructor on YouTube called Jo Wicks. Last week was the first week and boy did I ache in places I didn’t know could ache. I missed it over the weekend but Andy and I have been playing a bit of Badminton in the back garden, without a net and generally keeping moving. I also got my rowing machine back out from retirement. Initially, I was a bit complacent but now understand that if I don’t exercise each day my mood drops significantly, and everything is thrown out of proportion. As someone who has had mental health problems for many years it has taken me just the last few years to realise that, yes there are people who are out there to help and guide you but you have to do the work to feel better.
One previous way I have coped, is to have a mood chart on the wall and record each day how I have been. I am planning to do that again in these strange and difficult times because the services are at breaking point and they don’t need me on their doorstep. I aim to record each day what exercise I have done, so I can see if my mood relates to the amount of exercise, or lack of. I don’t have all the answers but I do know that at difficult times this has been a big learning curve and although this may go on for a good few months, I know that exercise is a big key to me getting through this, along with others.
This blog was written by our involvement volunteer and advisory board member Debbie.