Stores are closed, restaurants and cafes only available for take-away and we are advised by authorities to keep as isolated as possible. That means: working and spending our personal time mainly at home, with the odd walk. Hopes are that things will change, but some of us are left feeling like we might be stuck like this for a while. How can we remain positive and healthy in these conditions?

Have no fear! We’re coming to the rescue!

Some of our team have learned that (whether you like it or not) having your daily routine helps maintain a balanced life. Many of us work within the schedule set by our employers (i.e. working 9-5), but there are just as many freelancers out there whose working hours require planning. Now, it’s important for the latter to schedule fairly regular working hours per day to avoid mixing personal life and work.

MORNINGS

Nothing is also as important as waking up with enough time before starting work. According to Ayurvedic and Yogic principles, it’s suggested to rise up together with the sun (and the rest of nature). Early in the morning – we suggest 6:30 or 7 is good, although some rigoristic practitioners wake as early as 4 am (no kidding!), at Brahma Muhurta. Then, it’s necessary you head to bed early the night before.

We don’t expect you to immediately transform into a Buddhist monk but give yourself enough time and space in the morning so you have time for a short meditation. Before that, though, make your way to the kitchen for a glass of warm water with lemon to cleanse your body. This actually works quite energizing as well.

Now perform a quick session of Kriya (detoxing techniques). Take 5 – 10 minutes to wash your face, splash your eyes with cold water a couple of times, and brush your teeth plus your tongue with a special Ayurvedic scraper.

Finally, it’s time to get settled for a 20-minute meditation (or longer, depending on how much time you got left). A meditation pillow comes in handy for this, as well as two smaller pillows to tuck under your knees. Now, there are plenty of reasons why meditation is recommended in the morning. One of them is that “it is the best time to connect with the higher frequencies of the universe”. Another is that it is enchantingly peaceful on Earth at this hour, deprived of noises and distractions.

If you still have time left before work, tune in to one of our online yoga classes at The Conscious Club. We have some fantastic morning sessions ranging from Vinyasa to more gentle Hatha practices.

Done? It’s time to grab a light breakfast. Some fruit, porridge, or oatmeal with yogurt (soya?) does the trick perfectly. We suggest experimenting with coffee intake – if you feel low on energy, perhaps you could try supplementing coffee with yerba matte or matcha. And also try some ginger-lemon shots. This guarantees a kick in the morning.

AFTERNOON / DURING WORK

Now, you are set and ready to be productive. Make sure to take short breaks at least every hour to walk around the house, or take a whiff of fresh air through the window or on the balcony. It’s nice to organize some walks throughout the week (of course at safe distance!).

Align your lunch break with a friend living close-by and go for a “coffee-walk”. One of the few approved forms of socializing during these harsh times. Grab a warm drink at your local café and walk around. This way you can support your local businesses as well. Getting out of the house is beneficial for your good health and productivity levels. Remaining social, even at a distance is important to sustain our immunity because humans are (whether we wish to admit it or not!) herd animals.

EVENING

So, what to do after work? Let’s assume you cooked a delicious, healthy lunch and worked your way through the day feeling great. Staying at home has also some perks.

Having fun
Being alone can be difficult, but also transformational for your life You can finally dive into all those activities you procrastinated due to distractions. One of them is journaling. Really introspecting on how you feel (regular meditation helps in this) and pouring out your thoughts onto paper.

Then again, you can dive into reading some mind-opening literature or podcasts. Check out Eckhart Tolle, Iyengar, or for the ambitious yogis: the bible of yoga “Bhagavad Gita”. Not the easiest read, but life-changing.

Listen to podcasts from Sadhguru, Infinite Waters, Teal Swan or our very own Conscious Talks podcasts.

Learning
That’s when it goes for your Jnana practice (the yoga of knowledge). There are, however, so many more skills you can acquire in your free time, from the comfort of your living room. We suggest checking out the Udemy website, where you can take up courses in singing, playing instruments, painting, cooking, and in any other skill possible. Finishing lockdown healthy and equipped to follow your passion and earn money in the new world? Sounds so much better than wasting this time watching TV.

Connecting
Another fantastic platform hosting virtual meetups and courses (a lot of them for free, or a symbolic price) is Meetup. Join one of their interest groups and make new friends online. Learn to do new things with a like-minded group of people. Be virtually-social!

Serving
Discovering and developing your talents is a spiritual practice in its self. If you feel the calling to support the community, you can also check the NLCares website, and send some cards to the residents of elderly homes. You will serve a good deed, and make someone happy.

Silent Retreat, this is how you do it

You might also decide to go into silence for a certain extent of time. Design your own silent retreat like the yogis and monks do, to connect closer to your true self. Tell your friends and family, you will be out of touch for some days, turn off social media and phones, and spend your day in contemplation. Beginning the days with one-hour meditations and yoga practice, and finishing the same. It’s a challenging, but very fruitful process of self-exploration.

Now that you are equipped with these lockdown survival kits, it’s hard not to be excited.

Every cloud has a silver lining. Wishing you many happy days ahead

- Written by Michelle Prygiel