10 lockdown habits you should keep when you`re back to work

With falling cases of coronavirus in the UK and lockdown easing measures in full force, many are starting to rejoice in the idea of going back to “normal” – or as close to normal as we’re going to get for the time being. But as contractors begin to see a rise in opportunities and head back to work (whether that’s from home or a COVID-secure workplace) we’ve begun to think about the habits we’ve picked up during lockdown and which ones you might want to take forward into the new normal with you.

Exercising more

Whether you took up the Couch to 5K challenge or started yoga to beat stress, these are habits you definitely should keep going in order to stay healthy. Your body will thank you for it.

Work/life balance

While some of us saw our work/life balance thrown to the wolves (working while home-schooling, anyone?), many took this time to regain it. If you found this equilibrium, strive to keep it for the sake of your mental health.

Cooking

Whether you baked your own loaves, became a banana bread expert, or simply started cooking meals from scratch, this is something you’ll want to keep going. It’s healthier, cheaper, and better for the environment.

Gardening

If, like us, you’ve found gardening a great way to improve your mental health in lockdown, or enjoyed the cost and health benefits of growing your own fruit and veg, keep it up. Your garden isn’t going anywhere and you’ll still get those benefits way into the future.

Creativity

A lot of us have rediscovered our creative sides: painting, drawing, knitting, sewing and a whole host of other creative activities that have kept us happy. We can think of worse ways to spend a lunch break than sketching or knitting a few rows so why not make the time?

Learning a new skill

Whether it’s how to speak French or how to build a garden shed, lots of contractors have spent time learning a new skill during the pandemic. Why stop now? Your new skill may even boost your CV.

Valuing time at home

We’ve heard so many contractors say they’ll be sad to spend less time at home going forward. Our homes have been our sanctuaries throughout this and we should continue to value the time spent there even as it decreases.

Greener living

If you’ve used lockdown to minimise your plastic usage, recycle more or just become a greener household, keep it up. Our planet still needs us to do this so keep up the habit and encourage those around you.

Getting jobs done

Lockdown has provided great opportunity to a) get jobs around the house done, and b) wonder why we hadn’t got them done in the first place. Let lockdown be a reminder to us that we shouldn’t leave things waiting to be done, they never take as long as we think they will.

We know lockdown has been tough in so many ways, but there are positives we can take out of it that have helped us see what’s really important in life and can hopefully stay with us to  improve our lives in the long-term, making us healthier and happier.