In the average week, most of us have a lot to pack in. From the working week to the weekend, we have a whole host of commitments.

However, with many of us in lockdown or self-isolating this year, you may find yourself at a loss for things to do.

You may now be working from home or may not be able to work at all.

With an absence of work, it can become difficult to organise and retain a structure to your week. You may find that you have become demotivated or are lacking in direction or energy.

Where before, our two days of weekend rest may have seemed luxurious, too much leisure time can have a negative effect.

If you are working from home, it may become difficult to differentiate between work and leisure time.

It’s important to implement a routine so that you remain positive, productive and entertained.

Here are some useful ideas for your schedule to help you stay organised and motivated.

TIP: Invest in a family planner. This way, you can schedule in your activities at set times, which will help to regiment your day. It will also help you to feel more organised!

Organisation Ideas

 

• Set a rhythm for your week. Establish some markers, such as how many times per week you will need to do the washing or when you will go shopping, on your weekly calendar. Mark them all in so you begin to get an overview of your week and how much time you have left for everything else

 

• If you are in a couple, don’t forget to add in a “date night” to connect with your romantic partner and spend some quality time together.

 

• Mark in mooching time. Mooch is a verb that comes from the old French word muchier, to skulk. It means wandering around aimlessly or loitering. It basically means you don’t have any firm plans of what to do and so you do whatever you want, when the mood takes you. I usually keep two mooching evenings a week and a four-hour window at the weekend too. My plants are often involved in my mooching, as I’ll pick off dead leaves or feed some of them or re-pot some of them.

 

•  Your mooching time is also a good time to do other chores in a leisurely way. I don’t mean full-on spring cleaning, but this is the time to ensure you have clean clothes for the coming week and that you are happy with the state of your bathroom. Your sense of smell will thank you if you can bathe in a serene spa-like haven over the coming week.

 

• Once a week, schedule in a family meal to connect with your loved ones. Prepare the food mindfully as an expression of your love for them and get the little ones to help too so they can build skills as well as give you some much-needed help. Make these meals leisurely affairs so that you gain a real sense of connection.

Working From Home

 

Remember, if you are working from home, it is important to separate out work time from family time the way you normally would.

You should also try to start and end work at the same time.

You may find it helpful to work in a different room to the room you would typically use for leisure.

For instance, use the kitchen as an office space, and the living room for leisure time.

Wherever you decide to work, try to make sure it’s a quiet space where you can focus.

Finally, make sure you stop working when you’re scheduled to stop so that you can enjoy your leisure time.

This extract is from Everyday Calming Rituals by Tania Ahsan (Trigger Publishing, £7.99).