1/ I use stairs more than elevator
Social distancing forced me to stay away from other people. Elevators (although not banned) are one of the places where you don’t have much place to keep any distance. Also, it’s a closed space with not much air circulation. If someone sneezes inside, his or her germs will probably stay there for a while.
The choice was simple: Stairs, instead of an elevator.
This one might look like a tiny change but it forced my mind to get used to “a different, more effortful way” and it’s much easier now to do things differently in other areas of my life.
Strategies I follow:
- I vary my training plans and routines to test if something else works better
- I implement small changes to the ways I always do things
- I choose destinations or paths I’d never go for
Principle I built upon this:
Do things differently, especially when circumstances change.
2/ I don’t waste money for fancy oatmeals & specialty coffee
I remember the time when Bart came to Berlin and ordered a drip specialty coffee for 7 EUR. Yes, 7 EUR for a cup of coffee, (thanks, The Barn!). It wouldn’t be that weird, if not Bart’s comment: “It tastes like shit”. I’m not saying Bart is a world-class coffee pro, but he appreciates quality stuff and have a good taste; he’s a designer in the end, so he has to. “Mate, you just paid 7 EUR for a f** cup of coffee, enjoy every sip of it”, I replied.
Now restaurants and coffee shops are closed. It’s a perfect time to buy your own coffee gear, prepare your hand-brewed drink at home, and save some euros (or dollars). That’s a strategy I followed. Together with the one to significantly reduce my coffee consumption.
Strategies I follow:
- For eating and drinking, I reduced quantities and put more attention to quality
- I drink more green tea and started drinking matcha
- I cook and eat at home
Principle I built upon this:
Pay attention to what you physically consume, in what quantities, and how.
3/ I live slower and more conscious
Everything around us stopped somehow. From one week to another, most of our routines had been destroyed. Kindergartens got closed. Offices got closed. Coffee shops, restaurants, shopping malls – all of them got closed. Even though few businesses remained open, they didn’t operate in a usual way.
Life significantly slowed down. I used this as a chance to slow down too. I became more conscious what consumes my time and what takes over my attention. I reduced the time I spend on social media, and media at all. I started putting more attention to whom I talk to and what about. I started journaling more, writing down my thoughts and reviewing them from time to time.
Strategies I follow:
- I meditate and reflect on things I do (or don’t do)
- I write down my thoughts; whatever they are
- Whenever I feel strong emotions, I dig deeper
Principle I built upon this:
Pay attention to what you mentally consume, in what quantities, and how.
4/ I appreciate fresh air more
Before the lockdown started (also, due to the winter season) most of my training sessions happened in the gym. I had been preparing for my second powerlifting competition that was supposed to take place in Berlin, end of April.
Suddenly, all gyms got closed. Not only I had to put my whole training on hold, but I also didn’t have many opportunities to move. Unlike before, I didn’t have to drop my daughter to kindergarten, walk to the office, and run to catch an S-Bahn.
Implementing daily jogging was the simplest way to move, train, and keep my immune system strong. I suffered at the beginning as it was a totally different experience (running outside vs. training inside; cardio/endurance training vs. strength training) and many mornings were still cold, windy, and sometimes rainy. The effort paid off.
Strategies I follow:
- I try different morning routines
- When I feel unproductive or in a low energy state, I go for a walk
- I appreciate a bad weather as much as a good weather
Principle I built upon this:
Getting stronger doesn’t mean lifting more. Use what you have around you. Enjoy cold, rainy days as much as the sunny ones.
5/ I cleaned out my closet
Literally, and metaphorically.
I did indeed get rid of plenty stuff that I haven’t used for ages – clothes, electronics, magazines, swag from conferences, and tones of irrelevant papers. This, I believe, happened naturally to many people stuck at home during the quarantine. For me too.
On the other hand, our busy lives not only let us get rid of the “garbage” we collect over years. They also never give us time to reflect on ourselves. I wrote a previous post on facing my fears. And this is what I followed during the lockdown.
Being closed in one place with all your thoughts forces you to face them. No matter what they are you have to deal with them. Simply because you cannot run away from them. You cannot just book another exotic trip and collect new memories. You are here, sitting at home, with just a cup of coffee and your thoughts.
Strategies I follow:
- I clean up small things on a regular basis
- I try to face my fears, rather than running away from them
- I don’t collect stuff that doesn’t serve either me or my goals
Principle I built upon this:
Clean all small things that make mess in your life. Face your fears and negative emotions as soon as they pop up.
6/ I have more time for my daughter
Families got stuck at homes and for many, this was a challenging experience. Reason? So many sudden changes happened all at once. You had to take care of your kids, deal with remote work (still staying the same productive), cook, clean, etc., and still remember about taking care of yourself to stay strong and healthy.
If you managed to organise your life though, the upside was – you got more time for each other. You didn’t have any excuses anymore. No business trips, no long hours in the office, no meetings with friends or colleagues.
The choice was again pretty simple – I used this time to spend it with my family; mostly with my daughter. Even it was difficult in the beginning, it’s worth it. My daughter never learned so much Polish as in the last couple of weeks.
Strategies I follow:
- Whenever my daughter disturbs me, I’m grateful she’s next to me
- I put attention to where my mind is while spending time with someone
- I enjoy each moment, rather than thinking how to make them last longer
Principle I built upon this:
Spend your time wisely. Use attention as your key metric, not minutes or hours.
7/ I became more financially conscious
Similar to what I wrote in the second point, the lockdown forced many businesses to stop operating. Hence, you were not able to use them and could save some money. Of course, only if you didn’t start spending your incomes somewhere else. For me, this was a perfect opportunity to review my spendings and understand what I’m using my money for.
It turned out that not everything that I found critical before is really so. I learned that being financially conscious doesn’t mean cutting all your costs, becoming a miser, and feeling bad whenever you need to buy something. It’s totally opposite – the more conscious you are the more confident you become that choices you make are the right ones.
Strategies I follow:
- I try to allocate my money according to my goals
- I track all my costs and spendings
- I review my accounts on a regular basis
Principle I built upon this:
Pay attention to how you allocate your resources. Treat money as one of your resources, that should help you achieve your goals. Invest it wisely rather than just spend.
Quote to ponder:
“We cannot direct the wind. But we can adjust the sails.”
Aristotle