Given the severity of the situation, your New Year Resolutions aren’t really that important in the grand scheme of things during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, if you’re one of the few people that had made it to March 23rd without abandoning the new and improved lifestyle, you will probably feel a little peeved that uncontrollable situations have put new obstacles in your way.
Willpower alone may have seen you through the first few weeks. However, society has collectively entered new territory in recent times thanks to the extension. So, has the lockdown made it impossible to maintain New Year Resolutions? Let’s take a look at the impact on some of the more common goals.
Getting In Shape
If your big goal for 2020 was to get into the best shape of your life, the lockdown has probably knocked you off your stride. But while your routine will inevitably need to change, it is possible to keep moving in the right direction. You’re allowed to exercise outside for an hour each day. Usually, the thought of going for a five or six-mile run would sound like torture. Right now, it’s a great excuse to get some respite from your partner or housemates.
As for home exercises, there are worse ideas than watching Joe Wicks work up a sweat. Unless you have a home gym, lockdown does bring some limitations. Still, if millions of people have seemingly taken up running due to the lockdown, there’s no excuse to fall back into a slobbish mentality. Even if your progress is slower, you’ve already done so well. Keep going.
Promoting Improved Health
Improving your physique is one thing, but unlocking a better level of health is seen as the far more rewarding outcome for most people. If this was your aim for the year, a little light exercise will help throughout the lockdown period. However, it may prove impossible to stay as active as you’d like. Likewise, stockpilers may cause unnecessary difficulties as you try to buy groceries for a balanced diet. Vitamins and supplements from an online pharmacy provide a solid safety net.
In addition to your physical health, your mental wellbeing deserves more attention. Speak to loved ones, document your concerns, and make time to relax around the home. A positive mindset, combined with a winning strategy, should keep you on the right track.
Drinking Less
On the plus side, the pubs aren’t open and you can’t catch up with friends at a house party or social gathering. Sadly, though, staring at the same four walls while feeling trapped in your home can encourage you to open a bottle of wine or two throughout the course of a day. There’s been many funny (as well as a lot of not so funny) clips and memes doing the rounds on social media depicting drinking as a way to handle homeschooling or being around your spouse 24/7.
If you have experienced a problematic experience with alcohol, ask your partner to support you by losing all booze. But if you merely wish to cut down, there’s nothing wrong with a little treat during this tough time. Just be sure to limit how much you consume before implementing a detox once normality has been restored to our daily lives.
Progress Your Career
The harsh reality is that a lot of companies won’t take on new staff for a few months. However, this creates a glorious opportunity for you to gain an advantage over the competition, even if it means showing patience until the rewards become known. Most people will find excuses to let their career stagnate. You can use online training, tweak your CV, or build a portfolio website to enhance your prospects.
This is the ideal time to improve your networking prospects too. The right connection can unlock plenty of doors for your future. If you find that it’s necessary to focus your energies elsewhere during these unprecedented times, that’s fine too. Nevertheless, investing in your career is a lot easier right now while you have more time on your hands. Besides, it can’t be any worse than the frankly terrible daytime TV offerings.
Travel More
Yeah, bad news about that one…
The Final Word
Escaping the impacts of COVID-19 is tougher than avoiding Carole Baskin memes. However, most New Year Resolutions can be kept. You simply need to adjust your daily routines accordingly. And if you do temporarily deviate from the desired path, just be sure to get back on track at the earliest stage possible. You’ve got this!
