The country is now in lockdown. I’m getting use to working from home and living my life through a screen. So far so good. Like everyone else I have feelings of anxiety. Especially at 3am. But I’m making the most of what will be our new normal for the next few weeks.

I appreciate that I’m in a privileged position. I am healthy, have a secure job, live in a house with my family where we each have our own private space. Plus we have a garden albeit one that has been destroyed by our dog and largely neglected by us. There are many not so lucky.

So how am I spending my isolation? And what am I doing to ensure that I come out of it fit and healthy, mentally and physically.

I am working. It is getting easier. Technology makes it so. I’m probably seeing more colleagues now using Microsoft Teams than I did when I was physically in the office. But I like the separation of home and work life. I find it too tempting to just sneak into my home office to do a bit extra. And staying away from the fridge is a Herculean challenge.

I am trying to get more sleep. But like many I am waking during the night or in the early hours worrying about things that I’ve no control over.

I am doing what I can to manage my anxiety. I’ve written about my anxiety issues in previous blogs. Anxiety is a strange bedfellow. It can creep in when there is nothing to encourage it. It is often described as a fear of the unknown. Sufferers are encouraged to be in the now as we don’t know what the future holds. Easier said than done in the current climate when we are surrounded by apocalyptic predictions of what our health, economy and society will look like once we get through this pandemic. The advice to limit yourself to a reliable news source and only at set times of the day is a sensible one. Spending your life on social media is a sure ticket to acute anxiety. I’m trying to do just that.

To help with my anxiety I am practicing meditation albeit not that well. I set aside time at the beginning of the day (apparently the best time) to practice. I’m getting there slowly but I’m finding it hard. I just want to pull my earphones out and get on with my day. But I’m persevering. And I do have glimpses of success.

I am exercising. Of course I am. I am doing a virtual class every day. My gym has a programme of classes (Zoom and FaceTime) that are getting the heart rate up and the muscles working. Just as well as I’m using my permitted daily outdoor ‘exercise’ to walk my dog. I could never describe walking my dog as exercise when most of the time is spent checking out ‘smells’. Him not me. No way could I run with him.

But I feel as if I’m not doing enough. I need to replicate what my normal day looks like. I’m currently averaging about 7,000 steps. It is usually around 14,000. And I need to do more strength work. I don’t want to lose all the gains I have made over the past year. The steps may be difficult but I’m going to put together a strength programme with the weights that I have.

However, I am reminded that when I had to stop training for six months to have open heart surgery I quickly regained my former strength even with a healing sternum.

What I do have more of is time. This weekend I will spend some of this time attacking my garden. To make it an area for exercise and a more pleasant place to sit in readiness for the warmer weather.

I’m also going to look at my coaching practice. To modify my wellness offer to support people to get through the next few weeks.

And I mustn’t forget that teddy bear.