Catching up with a friend recently about our experiences of lockdown, he asked me:

What have we learned from the lockdown so far?

My immediate response was that it will be evident in the choices we make once lockdown is lifted. Both personally and socially.

This conversation came back to me when I saw the following images by @LikeEngineer shared in a recent edition of Documentally’s newsletter.

In the UK there’s a plan to gradually lift the lockdown over the next couple of months. Like many, I don’t feel ready for this but the prospect is making me think more about what comes next.

Over the past few weeks our daily routines have changed. Most notably, without a commute my partner and I have been exercising four mornings a week. That’s something we’d like to keep doing and so are beginning to talk about how we’ll make that possible once she needs to travel to work again. It’s totally doable but will require some adjustments to what went before.

Another thing I realised over the weekend is that since lockdown we’ve been having a regular catch up on a Sunday afternoon to help us prepare for the week ahead. It’s something relatively small that has a huge impact. As does having one regular time in the week for shopping and cleaning. By fixing these things it’s amazing how much time we’ve opened up elsewhere.

It’s helpful to start noticing these changes and their benefits now. Making a note of them so they’re not forgotten when we’re finally allowed to expand our lives beyond the home once more.

I’m also keen to remember what I’m missing from life before lockdown. Things like cooking for friends, days out exploring the coast and countryside, and meeting friends for a pint on a Friday night. I’m noting these so I can make more space for them in the future.

What routines and practices will you keep from before lockdown and what will you change?

Likewise, what new routines and practices that you made during lockdown will you choose to keep?