Last reviewed on 31 March 2021
At the beginning of the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown in March 2020, a lot of things changed overnight. Work, school, hobbies, socialising and all the other activities that make up our daily routines came to an abrupt halt.
Over time, you might have found this has had an impact on your mental wellbeing. That’s because having a routine and structure is important for good mental health. Doing things on a regular basis that you’re comfortable with and that you enjoy can help you to feel less anxious and be more productive.
With restrictions easing and the vaccine rollout continuing, it's an opportunity to get back into a routine – whether that's similar to what you did before or still quite different. So, how can you look ahead and make it easier to get back into a routine after lockdown?
If you’re off work or working from home, your sleeping habits might have changed – perhaps you’re going to bed later or struggling to get up at your usual time? If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, you might have trouble falling asleep or even experience vivid dreams.
In fact, a June 2020 study by King’s College London/Ipsos MORI found that almost two-thirds (63%) of people in the UK say their sleep has been worse than usual during the coronavirus outbreak. Here are some tips to help you get your sleep back on track.
There are lots of useful resources on Good Thinking to help you sleep better, including a podcast with an NHS sleep consultant, a sleep quiz and sleep and insomnia information sheets.
What do you really love doing? Include things in your daily routine that help you to feel calmer and that make you smile. Try to factor in time for being active too, as this can help with your mental wellbeing. This might include:
Don’t forget to include all the new activities you’ve enjoyed in recent months, like those family walks in the park and Zoom calls with your friends. Although this year has been difficult in many ways, you might have made some positive changes in your life. This is a great opportunity to decide what works for you and leave behind the things that don’t.
If you’re feeling nervous about life after lockdown, read our advice about how to deal with uncertainty and listen to our podcast with OCD expert Tracey Taylor.
Getting organised can help you to feel on top of things and be more disciplined. Grab your phone or a piece of paper and make a note of your goals for the coming weeks and months and what you need to include in your daily/weekly routine in order to achieve them.
Read our advice about how to develop a healthy new habit, which includes a useful technique that increases the chances you’ll stick to something new. You might also find the tomo app useful.
Whatever your job, it’s likely that things will be quite different going forward. You might have a different schedule (e.g. staggered start times) and a different work environment (e.g. protective screens), for example. After several months at home, you might simply find it a challenge to get yourself out of the door and go to work.
If you’re a parent or carer, you might have some concerns – from understanding what the school environment looks like now to getting your child into a better sleep routine.