When living by yourself it’s not always easy to push yourself to be sociable or go outside, even if you are an extrovert and social butterfly like myself. You may want to, but the routine of lockdown has taken its toll on you, and not only changed everyday life but perhaps had an effect on your confidence and ability to reach out.

It’s great to use the time you have alone to reflect, and enjoy the time by yourself without feeling stuck inside with an uncontrollable feeling of ultimately, loneliness. I’m lucky to have amazing friends and people around me, who I am extremely grateful for, but becoming comfortable in your own company is something that is important. I often found myself going through phases of always being out with friends and not necessarily putting my goals first. Since then, I have realised the importance of not only putting your social needs first, but choosing the way you spend your time wisely to ensure you are progressing towards your aims in the way you want to. It is imperative to create a healthy balance in all aspects of your life.

Recently I find myself spending more and more time on my phone. I recognise because of lockdown technology has become more essential to staying in contact with people, however it is just as important to get off your phone and do something constructive. The first couple of lockdowns I got up every day, went on a run or did a workout and tried to do something productive, and although I still do this, sometimes it proves more difficult to motivate yourself to go out and do things, especially when you’re with your own thoughts 24/7. This is where a routine can come in to try and break the cycle of endless days of nothing-to-do rolling into each other.

It’s also important to congratulate yourself for the little things you do; cooking a healthy meal, getting out to go on a walk, doing a workout, starting a uni assignment etc. Even if you have no plans with friends, or none of your friends are free, you can still do some amazing, gratifying things alone to uplift your mood. Sometimes some fresh air can work wonders!

This Sunday I went for a walk to my favourite spot and reflected on the past week, and made some mental goals for the following week ahead.