I was one of the few who were working throughout lockdown so it was a big change going from the busy office to my quiet house.
The stresses from work were now in my personal space so it was really important for me to maintain a work life balance. Knowing that I had only one designated outing for exercise per day made me determined to use it, so I would try and make the most of it by being out for the whole hour most days.
I would go on walks around where I live and enjoy every moment of it. Being out in nature helped me get my head in the right space before I would have to work again. Not only does walking provide you with a chance to switch off from the pressures of working life, but I have found it can equally allow you to think clearly about work tasks away from the confined space of the office, or in this case home.
Walking was a way for me to relax through the day and I found pleasure in just wandering around my village and taking in the fresh air.
I am also quite a competitive person, and so I would challenge myself regularly throughout lockdown on how far I could walk. I was part of a ‘virtual office’ Step Count Challenge team and this definitely helped.
Integrating this daily walk into my routine took my mind off work and other everyday stresses. Being amongst the Highland nature would put me in the right mind-set for the rest of my working day without fail.