When the world seems to have ground to a halt and life as we know it has been put on hold, it can be very easy to feel down and lost. We have been given very firm 'dos' and 'don’ts' in a bid to protect our NHS and subsequently save lives.
Over the last week, many of us have adapted to home working, home schooling and home exercise. In a bid to try and keep upbeat, I've tried to search for the positives. In the last seven days, I have counted my blessings when it comes to my own health, work and the wider impact this is all having on our environment.
One of the most effective ways I have found to lift my spirts is through exercise. Of course, we are currently limited to going outside once a day for exercise, so many of us have to improvise at home.
Last Tuesday I tuned into the Joe Wicks' PE class. I made the assumption that with it being designed with children in mind, it would be fairly easy. I was wrong! Now, each morning, I start my day with thirty minutes of kangaroo jumps, bunny hops and high knees before I sit down at my laptop to start work. This burst of exercise in the morning helps me to feel positive at the start of the day. It also allows me to do my recommended 30 minutes of exercise before the working day has begun.
Working from home can bring its own challenges and I say this as someone who does not also have to home school children. I take my hat off to all those parents/guardians out there juggling numerous roles. I try to put my working day into perspective. All I need to do is stay indoors and work from my laptop. I do not have a job that involves being on the front line of fighting this virus. I do not need to put my health at risk just to do my job. For those that do, you all are superheroes in my eyes and I hope that when there is calm after this storm, you all get the gratitude you so rightly deserve.
Every evening, I take the opportunity to get out of the house and go for a long walk, keeping my social distance. I do not encounter many others when out walking but those that I do come across always give me a courteous nod and/or hello. Before all of this change, I could walk to work passing multiple people and no one would attempt to make eye contact with one another, let alone smile and say hello.
Human connection is something that I believe has changed for the better. It is often not until something is taken away from you that you realise its important. I hope that no one will ever take for granted the meaning of a hug again!
Beyond human connection, there has also been a far wider impact on our environment. Whilst I appreciate the current situation is not sustainable for our economy or livelihoods, walking along St Johns Road in Edinburgh at ‘rush hour’, once considered the most polluted street in Scotland and seeing more people riding bicycles than driving cars, is a positive for me. It has been amazing to see families out enjoying exercise together, whether that be on bikes, walking or running.
I hope that those families and individuals continue to see the enjoyment in cycling and walking and do not simply return to the confines of a car in the future. This could finally be the opportunity for the decades old attitude of “them against us” on our roads to subside and for all road users to share a mutual respect for each other. This can only happen if people are willing to remember the way they felt during this pandemic and the pulling together of neighbourhoods, towns and cities alike to help each other out.
Let’s hope that human connection and compassion for others is not lost once normality resumes.
Jodi