We have been in lockdown since March 20th and will be until at least May 7th. During this global pandemic, there are many important factors to consider in order to make sure you and your household are both safe and prepared.

Hygiene

During this lockdown, it is important to have good hygiene. This means washing your hands regularly and properly for at least 20 seconds, just by doing this, you can reduce your chances of catching the virus. You should wash your hands as soon as you get home from shopping or exercise, before and after preparing food, as well after you sneeze or cough.

Shopping

Although we DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT need to panic buy supplies and fill up our homes with bottles of bleach and stacks of toilet rolls, it is a good idea to make sure you have enough food at home to ensure you’re not going to the shops more than you need to. Going to the shop to buy one item will increase your trips during the week and increase your chances of getting the virus, as well as others.  Instead, dedicate one day a week to go shopping to do your full shop for the week.

Exercise

As we are all inside at the moment, exercise is really important for two reasons. The first is that it gives everyone a chance to get some fresh air and allows them a change of scenery. The second is because being at home all the time means people will become less active, and without daily exercise, they may become unfit or gain weight. There are many exercise options available to everyone, such as going for a walk around your neighbourhood. Or for those that are unable to leave their homes, fitness coach Joe Wicks and TV legend Mr Motivator are doing PE lessons for the country. But if this isn’t what you fancy maybe try a virtual challenge, whether that’s climbing a mountain from your stairs or doing laps around your garden.

Isolation

It’s really important right now not to socialise with anyone outside your household, even if this means you can’t see your friends or family. However, you can still talk to your friends over text and social media, and thanks to the wonders of technology you can talk to them face to face over Skype or Facetime. Additionally, there are apps like Scener and Houseparty that let you video chat multiple people at once, or even watch Netflix with them.

Work

Nearly the entire country is having to work from their homes, so a productive work environment is needed. Not everyone will have the luxury of having a home office or a study, therefore by having a dedicated worktable somewhere at home you can keep focused and motivated. A good study space is really essential for all students in order to make sure you pay attention to your online lectures and seminars, ensuring you can complete work without getting distracted. A dedicated study area can also keep you organised as all your work will stay in one place, and you are more likely to do work sat at a table/desk then on the sofa in front of a TV or even in bed.

Future

Even though this lockdown is still ongoing and feels like it will last forever, it won’t. Soon we will all be able to go back to our normal daily routines, and when that day comes everyone will want to be ready. Take the time to create a list of things you want to get done during the lockdown, so that when the lockdown is over you can celebrate and see your friends, and not have to do jobs you could have done during the lockdown.