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YourSpace: Covid-19 advisories must be followed, say readers
With the lockdown restrictions keeping all indoors, how are you managing your time? Have you set a time-table to do different activities, including those to stay fit mentally and physically? Share the do’s and don’ts that you do while confined to homes to stay fit.
As a public servant (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited bus conductor), I am taking care that I don’t go outside without a reason. Currently, I don’t have to go for duty due to the lockdown. PMPML is operating buses only for emergency services. I go out once in eight days and bring all the essentials. I have even stopped going out to buy milk. I am giving preference to green tea or lime water instead of the traditional tea. I have kept a simple routine with morning exercises, watching television, reading books and doing household work.
My do’s include exercise, watching spiritual videos and reading books while my don’ts comprise avoiding oversleeping and overeating, spreading fake news on social media and trying to live life beyond the mobile phone and television.
Nilesh Ladke
Have set a daily timetable
The entire world is facing consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, a lot of people are feeling that they are locked inside their homes. My outlook to this situation is a little different. I believe that god has given us an opportunity to bring about a change in ourselves. This is the time to decide how life will be after the lockdown ends. To utilise this opportunity, I have set a daily timetable. I meditate, perform 60 rounds of suryanamaskars, and read a book for additional knowledge. I have begun organic farming of green chilies and tomatoes in my garden. I play games like carom which are interesting and require skill. I also help my mother in her work.
Parth Paygude
Prioritise exercise and good health
Staying healthy and being physically active is quite a task in itself on any regular day and now with more than a third of humanity in the world under lockdown, physical activity has taken a backseat in our lives. While the lockdown seems to be a great measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19, it certainly seems to have a downside on our overall health and well being. We all have a list of things that we put away due to our daily schedules, this is the right time to pull out that list and get going. Overall fitness adds to my ability to handle challenges and pressures without feeling burnt out. It also helps me keep my mind fresh and active which is a 24x7 requirement of my job as a nurse. Staying fit and eating right automatically makes you feel good and positive. With no maid to cook and clean, you are pretty much on your own and it certainly is a good way to keep those extra kilos at bay. You can try some new recipes and whip up a good meal for yourself and your family. Try walking briskly around the house or up and down the stairs. Stand or walk around when you’re on the phone, rather than sitting down. Dancing is also a great way to keep active, especially with children, so putting on some music for ten to 15 minutes, two or three times each day can really contribute to the daily exercise quota.
Velankani K Swamy
Work-life balance is a must
The lockdown has brought a new set of challenges for working women like me. Earlier, I just needed to take care of my office work while the maids took care of my home, but since the maids are not coming, I plan my day accurately to balance both home and office work. My day starts with morning prayers and suryanamaskar. By 11am in the morning, I finish my household chores and then devote time to office work. I am really enjoying this new routine as it had made me habitual of planning a day before going to sleep. My do’s include mediation and suryanamaskar, making a timetable, going early to bed and waking up early the next day. My don’ts include spending time on social media, oversleeping and being addicted to the TV.
Sunita Marne
Discover a new hobby
It is very important to stay mentally and physically fit during these dire times. To ensure this, we must have a daily routine. The routine can include reading a book, cooking, or even doing household chores. But for overall well-being, there should be an hour or two of physical activity every day. I usually wake up and cook my breakfast in the morning followed by a little bit of reading. In the afternoon, I watch a movie or do some of the house chores and at 4:30 pm, I train which includes exercises to maintain my strength, endurance, or agility. The exercises are different everyday being a badminton player. At night after dinner, I play video games or read a book before going to bed. My do’s include discovering a new hobby, maintaining your immunity by eating well, getting enough sleep and helping your family by doing daily chores. My don’ts comprise panicking – try to keep your mind off negative things, don’t overthink and try to take things one day at a time till the lockdown is over and do not forget your goals.
Varun Kapur
Follow routine, celebrate small victories
Things have changed and a usual day for me before the lockdown looked like being on the court or in a gym for more than 8 hours a day being a strength and conditioning coach. It can be quite a challenging task to stay mentally and physically fit if that is hampered. After a lot of introspection, what worked for me were- a routine and celebrating the small victories. Making a checklist and finishing of what I wrote down keeps me going. Our mind doesn’t like to think and solve complicated problems, hence a simple checklist before hitting the bed helps to simplify daily tasks. Let’s take an example of how I relate things with my athletes. Usually, we set protocols for warming up that I relate to my daily life, which is called RAMP.
Rise - Usually means increase your heart rate, but now it means waking and freshening up.
Activate - Activate your muscles, meaning have your breakfast, coffee/tea, or whatever you have during a normal day.
Mobilise - This is the time where we’re asking our joints to move and in our daily life, it’d be to start working and finishing your daily chores and working out. At least 30 minutes of light physical activity, staying indoors, and using bodyweight will ensure that you get adequate sleep and you’re fit.
Potentiate - Doing similar movements of the sport. It means to finish off with your most important task during the first half of the day or during the time of the day when you’re the most productive.
Gaurav Nijhon
Positive thinking key to mental fitness
Life due to Covid-19 pandemic has come to a standstill. It’s important that we keep ourselves fit, not only physically but mentally as well. I think we have got the liberty of leisure time at hand. We are saving a lot of time which would otherwise be spent on travelling. I make sure I am working out at least 3-4 times a week if not regularly. I think we should be able to enjoy the time we have and not stress over it. Being the director of the Institute of Sports Science and Technology, our regular lives have always been fast and so I am looking at this situation positively as we are getting time to spend with family and also take some time off for rest. Positive thinking is the key to mental fitness. The news of lockdown extension is certainly stressful, but keeping your mind occupied is crucial. My do’s include working out at least 3-4 times a week for 45 minutes, spending time with family, following government directives and being positive. My don’ts are do not leave your house unless in an emergency, don’t be monotonous and don’t be negative about the situation.
Vipul Lunawat
Regular exercise must be followed
I get up early in the morning and do various exercises like suryanamaskar, yoga, and kapalbhaati pranayam. In the evening, I jog in my backyard. All these exercises help me stay fit, mentally and physically, as I am a basketball coach. I manage my time by doing some household work, playing games with my family, listening to songs, reading, and face timing with my friends and relatives. After having breakfast, I listen to the news and read the newspaper online. After lunch, I take a small nap. In the evening, I go for a walk and exercise in the backyard. My do’s are taking care of personal hygiene, exercising daily, learning something new online, keeping yourself updated with all the happenings, doing some household work and taking rest. My don’ts include do not overeat, do not sleep for a long time and do not use cellphones frequently.
Anand Kulkarni
Donate to NGOs, help the needy
The first thing I did after the lockdown was declared is to spread awareness about safely using sanitisers as they can catch fire easily. I am a fire and safety consultant, I also feel that apart from contributing to government funds, people should donate money to NGOs as money will be utilised quickly and reach the needy. At our gurudwaras, in Camp and Ganesh peth, we are distributing food to the needy. Early in the morning, my day starts by doing exercises. After that, I spend time reading religious books and worshipping god, and the rest of the time I spend it with my family.
Sukhinder Singh Ahluwalia
