We are all under different pressures depending on our work life, home life, goals and aspirations but I think being under pressure is something we can all relate to. During the current situation and most countries being on lockdown there have been different pressures added as well.
Parents are expected to home school their children and keep their education up to the same standard as if they were still in school. This is not possible in a lot of households, not many parents who are now teaching their children from home have teaching qualifications, they may not have been in education themselves for decades, these expectations are so high! It may seem easier if they have work sent from the school and either the kids are old enough to do most of it independently or all your children are covering similar topics but if not this is a very difficult juggling act.
I do not have any children of my own but hearing from friends and family as well as seeing things on social media it seems like a mine field right now. The most important thing for your children is to feel safe, loved, supported and the less pressure applied the better.
If you can do a few hours of traditional education per day that is amazing, if the rest of the learning/teaching is through getting them to help with household chores, cooking, baking, gardening etc that is exactly what they need- time with family, learning skills which will help them in the future and therefore learning without even realising they are learning, that’s incredible!
For those of you who are still going out to work you are awesome; NHS staff, delivery drivers, retail workers, call centre staff, plumbers, builders, electricians and many more, you are keeping this country going and risking your life at the same time, we applaud and thank you whole heartedly.
For those of us key workers who are still working but are having to readjust to working from home, just know we are doing our bit as well, I know it is strange and often times difficult but we are lucky enough to be able to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe by staying indoors with them while still supporting those in need.
To everyone who has lost their jobs, has been put on furlough, who are now having to claim benefits, who have had to make sacrifices to protect themselves, not seeing friends or family, not going to parks or beaches as soon as the sun comes out, for those who have lost loved ones, those who are making scrubs, scrub bags, masks and other PPE, clapping every Thursday, donating to charities, keeping people entertained online, doing virtual catch ups, celebrations and quizzes, for everyone staying safe, staying home (where possible) and doing their part to help this lock down come to an end as soon as possible just remember this is all temporary and what you are doing, although it may sometimes feel like nothing, is a massive help to your country!
This will not last forever, this will come to and end, if we all do all we can it could be over within a couple of months, but the more people disobey the rules and socialise in groups, going to parks and beaches etc the longer this will last. If you are ‘just popping to see’ your friends or family members to go in and have a cup of tea it may seem harmless but if we all did that we may as well have not had a lock down in place at all, stop being so selfish!
We are not allowed to go and visit people, I know this is hard, I am missing so many people but we have to stick to the rules! If you are changing households (if you are moving in to help someone in need of extra support or is high risk etc) that is a little different so please just make sure you stay safe, make sure all precautions have been put into place before hand so you are not putting yourself or your new household in danger.
A lot of people are getting overwhelmed and really struggling with this situation, myself included, and the more pressure we put on ourselves the worse it could get. We have to love ourselves, know our limits, not compare ourselves to others and if we need a break we should take it.
I am currently working a full time job (wfh until further notice), I run a second business on the side (https://rachelp.partylite.co.uk/), I manage this blog as well as a Twitter, Facebook and Instagram account for 3 different groups. I have started doing 3 different daily fitness challenges, I am doing a daily singing challenge, I am trying to keep in contact with my family, my friends as well as the guy I started seeing before all this kicked off, I am living in a situation I am not familiar with and am still adjusting to (moved into my Grandmother’s house last Sept), I have started therapy, I am trying to help my Granny out with our weekly grocery shopping, getting her papers, I also have a long list of things that need doing/fixing around the house and garden.
Without realising I have put so much pressure on myself and it is overwhelming me. I started all these challenges as a distraction and to make sure I was living a balanced life and getting enough exercise now that I was going to be sat at home all day every day for the foreseeable future (even though before lock down I probably hadn’t done proper exercise in over a decade…), but when I miss out on recording that days song challenge, or I don’t have the energy for the video call I’d organised with someone, or I don;t write a blog for that weekend, or I don’t have the energy to do Joe Wicks PE session that morning, or the full body work out and/or splits challenge in the evening I feel really guilty and that shouldn’t be happening.
With that in mind I am going to give myself a break. I will still write the occasional post but I won’t be posting every week, I won’t be doing all 3 exercise challenges every day, I might start just doing one at a time for now and build up when I have more energy, I will doing the singing challenges but just not necessarily each and every day, maybe I’ll do every other day or something, not decided yet.
The point is, now more than ever, don’t put so much pressure on yourself to do certain things, live a certain way, look a certain way, have achieved things by certain ages etc etc etc, the list goes on.
Love yourself, or at least learn to accept yourself, as you are.
Be proud of yourself and what you are doing and achieving, even if it is just getting out of bed each morning.
Don’t berate yourself if you make a mistake or miss something out that day.
Let yourself rest, take a nap if you need to, have a Netflix binge session, sit in your garden and relax (if you have small children this may not be possible, apologies)
If you need help please ask for it, whether it is physical, mental, emotional or financial support there is always someone out there.
Don’t let what others think lead your own decisions and opinions.
Until next time, stay safe, stay home, stay connected (virtually for now) and TTFN.
How are you coping with quarantine? What have you been getting up to? What keeps you sane? Let me know in the comments.
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