7 Ways I’m Staying Sane During Lockdown 

Last updated: 25 June 2023

For busy people like us who like nothing more than jumping on a plane and heading to Bologna, or venturing off for a weekend roadtrip in the UK, being confined to and working from, a very small one bedroom flat in central London is quite a challenge. 

Here’s seven ways I’m staying sane during lockdown, and with any luck, you might find something else to keep you occupied! 

1. Cooking

You might be surprised to know that when I left home my cooking skills were basic to say the least. I could use a microwave, had perfected instant noodles from my stint at boarding school, and knew I liked my toaster set at number 4 on the toaster dial but that was about it.

Over the years, I juggled multiple jobs at the same time, and even at one stage I held three jobs and attended uni at night. Suffice to say, I was a very busy person with very little spare time to waste on things like cooking. I learned to batch cook after my mum kindly handed over her CrockPot and that was a huge game changer for me.  Even to this day, I’m still a huge fan of a slow cooker – just ask me, I’ll talk your ear off telling you how much I love it.  

During lockdown, my cooking game has definitely levelled up. Once I knew we might be in this for the long haul, I made a list of what we had in the fridge and in our (tiny) pantry, and started madly meal planning with what I knew what we had, and I assumed what I could readily get from the supermarket, knowing that I would have to make do with whatever staples like rice, flour and pasta we had left as they weren’t going to be easy to get from the shops. 

By being a little adventurous, freeing myself from the confines of a strict recipe, I established pretty early on that you can substitute items that are close, pad out meals with nutritious veggies, and that meal planning was likely a key to success while in lockdown.

While this might sound complicated, be rest assured I am a lonnnnggg way from a chef. I have a no fuss approach to cooking, if it’s too hard, too expensive, or too fiddly then I’m just not interested. Cooking need not be difficult unless you want it to be!

Roasting a chicken is one of my favourite lockdown recipes of the moment. It’s such a versatile piece of protein, I’ve used the meat to make delicious fresh salads and sandwiches, pulled meat to pimp pizzas, and utilised the juicy thigh meat to make a risotto as well as making my own stock with the carcass. Best of all, it’s oh-so-easy!

Other recipes I’m trying to master in lockdown: 

• DoubleTree by Hilton – Chocolate Chip Cookie
• ANZAC Biscuits – a must for any Aussie
• The quintessentially English summertime punch – Pimm’s
• Australian Sausage Rolls – Party size!

In lockdown, I have learnt to be a little more adventurous, adapting recipe ideas to whatever we have and discovered that a spiraliser is definitely worth the money, and that zucchini noodles (aka “Zoodles”) are a great, and healthy, substitute for pasta.

Don’t be afraid to fail. It will help you grow.

I regularly talk about food on Instagram stories where you’re very welcome to join the conversation. Otherwise, you’re welcome to drop me a line, DM me on Instagram or tweet me.

2. Developing a YT Channel

Over the years we have filmed a tonne of footage from our adventures and while in lockdown I’m attempting to do something with that footage by growing our YouTube channel. 

If you’re interested in watching us on YouTube, you can subscribe to our channel. It’s free! Don’t forget that clicking the little bell icon means that you’ll get a notification when a new video goes live.  – Super handy! 

At the moment we have two videos up on Nuremberg, one about things to do and another wholly dedicated to food and drink in Nuremberg.  If you’re a foodie, this is the one for you.  

As Londoners we should have more content on London. To address that, I’ve started our London video content with a short five minute video about Trafalgar Square.  Before you roll your eyes and think ‘ugh I’ve already been there’, it wasn’t until I delved further into the history of the Square I stumbled on a tonne of interesting titbits that I think many people might miss during a visit. There’s likely one or two things you didn’t know. 

The aim is to upload one new video every week. It’s important to stay on schedule, not only for you, our beloved audience, but also for the YouTube algorithm. And given that most of the videos take me between 20-40 hours just to edit, it keeps me busy throughout the week! 

If you can share, like or comment on any of our YouTube videos, it really helps. We all could do with a boost of encouragement at the moment! 

3. Maintaining a Routine

Since stepping back from corporate life, my routine has been a little more flexible than it once was.  No longer regimented down to the minute, I’m a lot more flexible with my approach to life, and I have to say, it’s been good for my mental health.

That being said, setting myself goals and deadlines such as a weekly blog post and one video a week for YouTube means that I do have a schedule, but the time I work, rest and play is a little fluid.  I’ve been known to edit until 4am, other times I get up at 3am and write until I get tired and take a nap during the day.  

More recently I have returned to more conventional hours, I think that has to do with the fact that our clocks changed to BST (British Summer Time) and the weather has been (unusually) glorious.

Having tasks to complete that aren’t dictated by someone else’s clock has reaffirmed to me that I do have a work ethic, I am happy to crack on and get things done, but at the end of the day, if I want to read for an hour in my hammock in the sunshine or take a nanna nap after lunch, I’m going to do it. 

Be kind to yourself. 

4. Releasing Endorphins with Exercise & Staying Sane

Ahh exercise, my nemesis.  I’ve been suffering with lower limb inflammation for a number of years now, which makes high impact sports like running, or anything on unstable ground like hiking means that I’m just asking for trouble. Staying fit and healthy in lockdown for me means I don’t have access to a swimming pool so I need to pivot to low impact exercises at home.

For me that consists of walking up and down the stairs in our emergency stairwell (it turns out no one else uses it!), using YouTube and free apps for classes on yoga, Pilates, callisthenics and the occasional barre class.

What’s Barre I Hear You Ask?

Barre fitness is a hybrid workout. It combines ballet-inspired movement like (plies and leg extensions) with elements of Pilates, yoga and strength training.

Mental Health

Healthy body is one thing, but the other thing I notice some people are struggling with, particularly in lockdown, is how to stay mentally healthy.  

Some people love meditation, manifestation, and mindfulness, I’ll be honest with you, it doesn’t really work for me but it might work for you so it’s worth checking out apps like HeadSpace, and Calm that have free options and trial periods. 

To stay mentally healthy in lockdown, my suggestion is find things that work for you, and do them. I like to acknowledge when I’m not being productive or ‘feeling it’, and change the conversation, which also means often changing the situation.  If I can’t write, I’ll stop and opt for something physical like a yoga class.  If I have a headache, or feeling tired, I might read or just lie down for 20 minutes and reset.  

Whether it’s cooking up a storm, doing some art and craft, a new photography project, rest, or reading, all I can say is that you do what works for you, and if you’re struggling to find what that is, then ask around, see what works for other people and then try it for yourself until you do find something that clicks. 

I like to stay connected and check in on my friends that I know aren’t working, and/or live alone. Pick up the phone, call your family and friends via Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime with some regularity. You probably need it just as much as they do.

It’s important to also acknowledge your Achilles’ heel and your crutch for coping in lockdown. That might be things like binge eating, or drinking, lying in bed for days at a time, or not leaving the house at all. It’s important to recognise the warning signs and make changes when you can. If you need to talk, my inbox is open to you. 

5. Learn Something 

Why not try and learn something new while you have the time? The stay home message is the best time to pivot your skillset and try something new!

Physical skills like learning to knit, or sew rely on you having the tools to master your new talent. That being said, Amazon still delivers to your door in the middle of lockdown so you should be able to get everything you need.

Digitally sourced skills are also another opportunity for self-growth. All you need is the desire to learn, a computer and the internet. Here are some digital learning programmes that I’m currently working my way through:

• Learning Italian with Intrepid Guide
• Learning more about SEO with Moz
• Expanding my strategy with The Blogger Course
• Linked In Learning – Where you can learn just about anything!

6. DIY, Fixing things & Chores 

One thing I discovered when we moved to London has been how tiny apartments are, and what that means for your wardrobe.  I now own more coats, and more winter hats (that’s a beanie if you’re Aussie) than I ever thought possible. It also means that we have to store our winter gear in suitcases when they’re not being used as well as annually purge and rotate the clothes in our closet. 

I long for a huge walk-in wardrobe akin to a movie star, or the one my parents shared in my childhood home. Shelves and rails for days, that is on the blue-print for my dream-house!

Lockdown is a great time to undertake your seasonal rotation, and also clear out the clothes you don’t like, that don’t fit, or ones you rarely wear. You could donate them to a charity, although the bins near us are either bursting at the seams or have signs requesting no donations, or you could try to sell items online. Places like eBay, Vinted, and Facebook Marketplace are still running successfully during lockdown and there are apps like Depop. 

I can highly recommend getting stuck into some of those other chores you’ve been putting off. There is a sense of satisfaction once it’s done and ticked off the list.  

Do you have a step that needs fixing? A room that needs a new paint job? 

If you live in a small flat and/or are renting, it might be smaller things like replacing blown light bulbs, repairing clothing, restitching buttons, cleaning the oven, or unblocking the sink. I’ve managed to do all those recently, and let me tell you, I feel better for it.  If that all sounds a bit of stretch, then consider something smaller, more achievable, like clean sheets.  One of life’s luxuries is crawling into a bed made with fresh crisp sheets.  

7. Read

I was once an avid reader.  A bookworm who would beg to be taken to the local library to find another arm-load of books that I would absorb myself into. Then, life happened, and the books stayed on the shelves and got dusty.

Well, I am pleased to say that I am back into reading. The combination of having time, the need for escapism and the ability to read while sitting in the fleeting British sunshine, has reinvigorated my love of the written word. 

I’ve recently whizzed through:

• The Tattooist of Auschwitz – a fabulously well written piece based on a true story of survivors.
  Verdict: Noticeably dark material from a horrific time. Overall it’s a good read, and a good one if you want some perspective.
• 15th Affair – A solid murder mystery, the 15th novel in the Women’s Murder Club series. I haven’t read the 14 before it, and don’t think it mattered.
  Verdict: An easy read from a reliable author.
• Origin – The fifth book by The Da Vinci Code author, the traveller in me loves Brown’s descriptive style of writing, I really felt like I was in Spain where the book is predominately set.
  Verdict: Admittedly not his best, slightly predictable ending with a few curve balls which you can always expect from this reliable author. There’s no need to have read the other books in the Robert Langdon series to read this one.
• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – A Sunday Times Bestseller and Costa First Novel Book Award winning novel about a social misfit.
  Verdict: Ho-hum. I’m left wondering it’s award winning.
• The Two Week Traveller – The author has an insatiable wanderlust, but restricted by the demands of a full time job.
  Verdict: Brilliant escapism with some laugh-til-you-cry moments.  It’s enjoyable, especially for any confined travellers.
• Becoming – Michelle Obama’s memoir, a deeply personal account from a woman who has steadily defied expectations all the way to the White House.
  Verdict: Before Becoming, I knew little of Michelle or Barack. This book humanised them both. Bringing light to her background in Chicago and how opposites with really can attract. A solid read, recommended!

Russ is a fan of non-fiction and has equally thrown himself into reading. Inspired by watching the Netflix hit series The Crown, he recently finished:

• Charles: The Misunderstood Prince – an insightful read about the life of the heir to the throne.
• Prince Phillip – despite the fact this book is 4 decades old and seemingly out of print, it’s still a solid read, encompassing the Duke’s royal duties and personal life. 

What Am I Reading Now? 

Normal People is on my list.  It’s the sequel to Conversations with Friends which I haven’t read. Hopefully I don’t need to!

Alongside that I am working my way through the Harry Potter books, despite being a full blown Potterhead, I’ve never read ALL of the books.  Challenge accepted!

Where to Get Free Books? 

With local libraries closed, this makes things a little harder to acquire cost-neutral reading material.  I would recommend talking to flatmates, friends and neighbours if you can establish an informal book-swap, while maintaining social distancing of course.

There are some community book-swaps. I spotted one recently in Limehouse Basin in East London, which is basically an old phone box that has been converted into a loan library. The concept is you take a book that tickles your fancy, and return it when you’re finished. If you have books you don’t want/need, you can pop them on the shelf for someone else to read. 

If you’re open to the idea of e-books, then you can also check out Amazon Prime to see what new e-books they have out. While it is a paid membership, Prime has a 30-day free trial. In addition to access to some free e-books, there’s a lot of benefits to a Prime membership including:

• Unlimited and free one-day delivery on millions of items
• Unlimited streaming of over 15,000 movies and TV episodes 
• Access to over two million songs on Prime Music

The other option is to check out the Kindle Unlimited 30-Day free trial which is a great way to explore over 1 million books, thousands of audiobooks, and a rotating selection of popular magazines which you can access on any device by using the free Kindle app.

Of course if you’re looking for something specific, you can search for specific books and pay for them. I’m inclined to watch for discounts and specials which crop up frequently on the Amazon Kindle store. I would recommend creating a watch list so you can pounce on a book or two you really want to devour when it’s on sale.  

Share the love! What are you reading at the moment? Leave us a comment below and if you are/aren’t enjoying it.

If you’re looking for some reading inspo, the team at Conde Nast did a Women Who Travel podcast on their favourite reads of 2019. You can listen to the podcast here, or you can check out the list in their blog post. 

Final Thoughts

I keep receiving endless emails from brands telling me that these are unprecedented times. And while they’re correct, this is an utterly bizarre period, I’m a bit sick of hearing it. 

So, I shall leave you with this old adage, this too shall pass, and until then, find comfort where and however you can. 

Stay Home, & Stay Healthy.