{"id":150,"date":"2020-06-11T09:27:04","date_gmt":"2020-06-11T08:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/wellbeing\/?p=150"},"modified":"2020-06-11T09:27:05","modified_gmt":"2020-06-11T08:27:05","slug":"lessons-in-lockdown-a-reflection-on-a-new-lifestyle-by-manuel-alonso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/wellbeing\/2020\/06\/11\/lessons-in-lockdown-a-reflection-on-a-new-lifestyle-by-manuel-alonso\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons in Lockdown: A reflection on a new lifestyle by Manuel Alonso"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Director of Student Services and the University\u2019s Associate Chief Operating Officer Manuel Alonso reflects on both his professional and personal life since the COVID-19 pandemic began, acknowledging what\u2019s helped him along the way and the things he has learnt in the process.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think like most people, the experience of being in lockdown was a whirlwind. Initially I spent most of my time planning for how we would deal with lockdown at work, what it would mean for students and what it would mean for colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then, maybe a few weeks into lockdown it occurred to me that I hadn\u2019t actually stopped to think what it meant for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who know me perhaps won\u2019t be surprised to hear that I\u2019m an introvert at heart. So, several weeks at home seemed, initially, no problem. Spoiler; this was na\u00efve \u2013 of course this wasn\u2019t just \u2018a few weeks at home.\u2019  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn\u2019t appreciate how tired I was and what I\u2019d missed by being constantly at home until I got to Easter week. It was the first time that I could (mostly) stop working and just focus on one (or two, or three) things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was also the time when I realised that no matter how introverted I might be, I missed people. I missed having contact with colleagues, talking to students and seeing their energy on campus. What I realised is that I hadn\u2019t actually stopped to reflect on the situation; to recognise what I was missing and what I had gained by being able to spend more time with my family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can break my lockdown experience into these two parts: before Easter in which I was kind of just running along getting stuff done, and after Easter when I actually took the time to appreciate what had changed, what I\u2019d lost and, importantly, what I\u2019d gained. I appreciate when I say this that everyone\u2019s lockdown experience has been different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s helped me and what I\u2019ve learnt about myself<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what I think I\u2019ve learnt so far. I hope that this might resonate with other people and help them too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. It\u2019s been said lots of times, but it bears repeating – this isn\u2019t just working from home. You can\u2019t do everything all the time; work, being a good parent, being a good partner, staying mentally and physically well, being a (very) part-time home-schooler. You need to pick what to do when and give yourself a break for needing to make that choice. (And you might find putting the phone away at the right moment helps on this front.)<\/li>
  2. Now more than ever it\u2019s important to keep reaching out to connect with people. Even for the introverted amongst us, contact with others outside of our household helps keep us connected into the wider world and empathetic to what others are experiencing.<\/li>
  3. It\u2019s normal to be anxious, but everyone\u2019s anxieties will come in different shapes. Some will be anxious about being away from work, some will be anxious about coming back, and others will be worried about doing right by their loved ones, kids etc. This is why it\u2019s important to stay in touch with people; in amongst our own anxieties, we need to make time to understand and show empathy for other people\u2019s anxieties too.<\/li>
  4. A day of MS Teams meetings is MORE tiring that a full day of actual meetings!<\/li>
  5. And last but not least, the basics are hugely important; sleep, eat well, exercise and give yourself space and time for yourself and reflection (as much as you can – for parents this might involve locking a bathroom door!). They\u2019re basics for a reason.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Alongside the things we can do to help ourselves, there is a range of help available from the University to support students and staff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n