When my husband retired I told him to find a schedule. Find something to do and someplace to go, even if it’s just to the Tim Horton’s on the corner. Always give yourself a goal for each day.
Yes, for now I am working from home, so I have plenty to do. But as this pandemic spreads and more people get sick, I will have fewer daily tasks to keep me occupied. I work for a construction company and once the job sites close down, the paper work will dwindle and they won’t need the same level of administration support. And, let’s face it. I was already transitioning away from my job, to look after my husband.
So, I’m taking my own advice. I’m creating a schedule that will see me through the next year or two. Because even once this crisis is over, I’ll still be home caring for hubby.
I’ve decided to start commuting to work. Instead of waking up, pouring a coffee and heading down the hall to my office, I’m descending the stairs to the exercise bike that has been gathering dust lately.
For the past six years I’ve been weightlifting in the gym at the office. The bosses even provided a personal trainer which helped keep me motivated and in proper form. Even though I could deadlift 225lbs, (before you get too excited, I’m a fatty so that was barely my body weight) my doctor said weightlifting is great but I needed cardio too. So I started walking at lunch. Within 4 months I was bored with just walking so I started jogging my fat ass up and down the trails.
I’ve fallen off the wagon since September as shit started to get real with my husband. If I stayed on this course of emotional eating and lack of motivation, I was going to be in big trouble. Especially since I take barely 2000 steps when I’m working from home as opposed to 6000 just wandering around the office. So exercise bike it is. I’ve even brought up a set of hand weights to use when I’m taking a break at my desk.
This will be the start of my new schedule. Wake up, start the coffee maker, do a mini Tour-de-France and then continue on with my day. I do a bit of stretching afterward so that my legs don’t seize up when I’m at my desk. Eventually I’ll try one of those yoga videos to stretch me out after sitting all day.
After all, if you go online there are thousands of workouts available. Even more now that the gyms are closed and trainers need to stay relevant. Hell, just find a piece of marching music on Spotify and lift your knees high and swing your arms to the beat.
Added bonus, exercise gets you out of your head and eases some of your stress so that you can better look after yourself and those around you.
Let’s commute together!