Broke Girl in the City’s Lockdown Diaries: Week 8
How is life going for you? Are you out of lockdown? Are you a key worker and have been working this whole time? Or are you like me, shielding, so know you have a little longer indoors yet?
I have settled into a daily and weekly routine. Mondays-Fridays are for working Saturdays are for cleaning, washing and catching up with friends and family. Sundays for writing, resting, cooking and preparing for the forthcoming week.
Shielding under lockdown
This week has been a struggle as the lockdown is being eased. I have been advised not to leave the house still. Being in my room for most of the day except for a brief interlude in the garden isn’t easy. I am busy with work for most of the day, but there are times when I realise I haven’t moved from one spot for hours. I am normally quite a sociable person and love being around people. Facetime and Zoom are great ways of connecting to people in a virtual way, but nothing beats real connection.
Killing Eve – “Are You From Pinner”
*Spoilers Alert*
Mondays are my day to watch Killing Eve. I am a HUGE fan of Pheobe Waller-Bridge, Sandra Oh and Jodie Cromer and look forward to the next instalment each week.
Series 3 has been so shocking, with a number of twists that have been totally unexpected. To kill off a much-loved character in Episode 1 was a mark of genius and upsetting for many viewers. This season could have been quite stale as we continue to watch the cat-and-mouse game between psychopathic killer Villanelle (Jodie Cromer) and Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh). This week’s episode was a fascinating exploration of Villanelle’s character and also what makes a psychopath. Are people born like that? Are traits learned or due to things that have happened in childhood?
In an explosive (literally) episode, we watch Villanelle kneel in front of her mother, eyes filled with tears. Both emotionally and tearfully, saying, “I think I need to kill you, Mama.” It was a complex episode where Villanelle believes that she is her mother’s daughter and has inherited her “darkness”.
I wait in anticipation for the next episode and wonder what’s in store as Villanelle and Eve are reunited.
Mental Health Awareness Week
Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24th May 2020). The theme this year is…SLEEP. You only have to look at Twitter in the early hours of the morning to look at #insomnia trending to see that so many people are affected by a lack of sleep.
I greatly advocate for Mental Health, which is so important to us all right now. So many people struggle with their mental health on a daily basis, which has been exacerbated for many by this lockdown.
If you are struggling, please do get help.
My Top 3 Tips for lockdown: Week 8
1. MAINTAIN A SUPPORT GROUP
This week, anxiety has been at an all-time high following the Prime Minister’s announcement last Sunday.
Anyone returning to work worries about not only travelling to the workplace but also catching it from colleagues. If, like me, you live in London. Unless you have a car, you are faced with travelling by public transport, all of which you are told to avoid by the Government.
Make sure you have a support network. Friends and family for emotional support. Workplace colleagues and your manager/HR for professional support. I have managed to get on to the Tesco priority list for food, but I have people around people, too, to help.
2. LEARN ABOUT COOKING & NUTRITION
This may be different for each household. You may already be an amazing cook and have this nutrition stuff sorted!
I am cooking for one; violins, please! So it’s easy to not bother so much with meal times. I also would only buy basic ingredients to keep food shopping costs down in the past, so have never really experimented with cooking. However, I do love cooking roast dinners! Also, I can’t really taste or smell, so most foods taste bland unless I pile on the spices, which doesn’t always end well.
As mentioned in a former blog. I have been using the Cronometer app to track my nutrition and vitamin intake. I take Vitamin D supplements as I was deficient at the beginning of the year. In the updated Government Guidelines, they have suggested vulnerable people take supplements. Cooking isn’t a natural love of mine. However, now that I have access to Tesco delivery slots. I have started to eat regular meals and take vitamins to build up my immunity for when I am finally let out of this bedroom!
3. KEEP POTS OF MONEY TO FALL BACK ON
I have a number of bank accounts. I use Monzo and Barclays for my day-to-day spending. I have apps on my phone for both so that I can check my balance at any time. Each month I put aside my rent money which is kept in a separate ‘pot’ in Monzo. I transfer this to my main account the day before my rent is due. Your essentials are key right now. Rent, food and essential bills.
That concludes week 8 of my Lockdown Diaries!
