The Importance of Routines During Lockdown

The importance of having a routine during lockdown is crucial. Here are some habits you can adopt to make sure you keep a healthy mental state.

Keeping the mind occupied and healthy during times like these – when we are isolating from friends, family, and colleagues – is very important. Keeping ourselves busy and productive during our day ensures we are maintaining, in some way, a similar lifestyle to pre-Covid times. Daily routines keep us sane and free from overwhelming thoughts.

Adopt a strict sleeping routine

Sleep is one of the most significant habits for any person. Maintaining a strict sleep pattern will lead to higher energy levels in the morning. Therefore, sleep is crucial for productivity, especially when you’re trying to stay positive during a pandemic. A shortage of sleep leads to weight gain and obesity. The US National Library of Medicine conducted a study that showed a “consistent increased risk of obesity amongst short sleepers in children and adults”. The reasons behind weight gain amongst people who don’t get enough sleep are related to a lack of energy, hormones and motivation to exercise.

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Sticking to a sleep schedule will reduce the chance of heart disease and stroke. The US National Library of Medicine found correlations between cardiovascular activity and sleep patterns. People who sleep less than seven to eight hours are more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A strict sleep schedule will help you maintain a good and healthy body weight, and reduce the chance of developing chronic heart diseases like CHD and CVD.

Get your steps in

Physical exercise is essential in one’s daily routine. I’m sure everyone has heard the phrase: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Well, exercise most certainly keeps the doctor away as well. Similar to the shortage of sleep, sitting down too much and reducing movement will increase the chance of causing CVD and stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who don’t exercise enough have a higher risk of developing heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and various types of cancers.

Exercise is a great way to cope with mental issues like anxiety and depression. Neurochemicals known as endorphins are said to give you a natural high after or during exercise. These chemicals produced by the brain help cope with anxiety, stress and depression, and enhance pleasure. Physical activity can help your blood flow (circulation), lower blood pressure, prevent bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteomalacia, and improve your life span. The Health Service Executive (HSE) recommends that children get at least one hour of exercise a day, and adults get at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise five times a week.

Eating habits and routines

Just like sticking to a strict sleep schedule, eating on a planned agenda will improve digestion. Three meals a day with some healthy snacks throughout the day will inevitably enhance the body’s digestion system, ensuring essential nutrients and vitamins enter the body. According to Everyday Health: “Consuming your meals and healthy snacks on a regular schedule can help keep your digestive system in top shape.” Eating on a schedule will also motivate you to lose weight and stay in a healthy physical form.

Aim to have a healthy breakfast around six to eight hours after going to bed the night before, lunch around four to five hours after breakfast to give the body a chance to empty, and dinner approximately three hours before bedtime. Leaving dinner too close to the time you go to bed will result in difficulty falling asleep.

Prepares you for the future

One unique beneficial outcome of planning a daily routine is that you save a lot of time. Productivity, once again, is a term that is linked with daily routines. Once you have planned out a system, you’ll notice that you have saved a lot of time and become increasingly productive. You spend less time watching television, scrolling through social media, and playing video games. Creating a plan for your whole day doesn’t only allow you to be more productive and get more work done, it also helps you mature and prepares you for the future.

If you’re a student or plan to move out of your parents home any time soon, creating a daily routine will develop you into adulthood. You will learn that living alone requires you to maintain good mental and physical health, while also getting work done. It gives you an insight into what life as an independent adult will be like. Instead of spending hours glued to screens, try to participate in activities and habits that will benefit your well-being. Of course, it’s good to relax and have a bit of time to scroll through gossip, but try to keep it at a minimum.

Daily routines also help you develop the essential skills required for future jobs and careers. Skills such as punctuality, responsibility, and maturity are developed over time when following a routine. Money management is also an important skill you develop over time from being organised and following a schedule.

People have their preferences when it comes to creating a daily routine, but following one that in some ways allows you to be more productive and healthy, as well as relaxed and stress-free, is one that you should consider ensuring.

Let us know down below what are some of the things you do during your daily routine.