Habits…easy come, easy go…no more!

Last night, when I was doing exactly what I’d been telling myself all lockdown not to do — staying up later for no good reason once the kids had finally got to bed — checking emails, checking the news and getting a head start on today’s work until late into the night. Why? What the heck was I doing? I know just how useless I am without good sleep.

The last thing I did was check here on Linked in and noticed that a mate had Liked a Post about exercise and the benefits, if you were to get Covid.

To be honest the info may or may not have been spot on. I’m not sure as I haven’t checked the facts myself, but there was a theme there that rang true for me.

It’s a good thing to be fit and well. It’s a good thing just to move.

Before this current lockdown, I’d been on a good health and fitness streak. I’ve always enjoyed exercise, sport and being outside doing something. We’ve instilled that sense of keeping well into our children also. Prior to Covid, like many parents it seems, we were pretty much a taxi service from sport to sport. Tiring — yes, fulfilling — absolutely. For everyone involved.

Then this lockdown happened. I have to admit that it hit me. Immediately. My work front lethargy was one thing but actually my motivation to leap out of bed as usual and feel like I’d achieved something ‘exercise-wise’ before getting into the work stuff, the parenting stuff, the husband stuff, the life stuff — hit rock bottom for me from Day 1.

Last night’s Post was the kick that I needed. Thank you.

This morning I set the alarm just slightly earlier than I had been doing so. Yep, thoughts flew through my mind when I woke up, “Argh, can I be bothered? Just another half hour of sleep?”

Not this time! I chucked some clothes on, grabbed the dog’s lead (man, was she excited!) and then the dog herself of course, before heading out the door.

Half an hour’s walk along the beach, taking in the sounds, the smells, the sensations, the sights and my thoughts.

My own time. Yay!

Upon arriving home to wake up the kids in time for online school, there it was sitting there on my watch. The Exercise Ring thingy was telling me that it had already closed for the day.

Tomorrow’s goal is to get the kids back into early morning exercise with me. We’ve been a bit remiss with that and as a result, they’ve been a bit lethargic also, which is unlike them.

I need to be a better Dad and get them back into the good habits that they had prior to this lockdown.

It always amazes me just how long it can take to get into a good habit (no less than 18 days evidently?), yet it only seems to take us missing that habitual task just once and it can start to slip away from you again.

Stuff that. I can’t let this lockdown malarkey make me someone else. Someone that I don’t really enjoy being around as it’s clear that exercise for me, is food for my body, my mind and my soul. Without it, I’m not the best Dad, Husband or person, so why would I want to let that happen just for the sake of an extra few minutes sleep a day?

As I finish typing this, the rain has started pelting down. Good timing then! So glad to have ticked something off the list that I’ve found so difficult throughout lockdown.

It’s made me realise also that there is a flow on effect. This has given me a kick with writing. I used to be so keen on that also. Actually I can’t believe it’s been 366 days since I last wrote an article. Poor! But I’ve managed to tick & kick that off again also. Boom!

The hardest thing is that first step. The funny thing is that with exercise or really anything, it seems to be tougher to get going but we don’t tend to regret it once we cross the finish line.

Today has never been done before, so I’ve decided that I’m the only one who can determine whether I’ll succeed or not, even if not everything is within my control.

Thanks to the person that wrote the Post and thanks to my mate for Liking it.

I hope that you have a good one today too. What are you waiting for?

[Photo by Bogomil Mihaylov on Unsplash]