6 Meaningful things to do when stuck at home during lock-down.

It can be challenging to spend so much time at home, and to avoid physical contact with others, especially if you’re experiencing more anxiety than usual or if you can’t stick to your regular work routine. So what can you do during this time to help yourself?

1) Start writing a gratitude journal. Same time each day write down 3 things you are grateful for. It does not matter how small they are - it could be just "my breakfast tasted good". The challenge is each day they must be new things which you have not mentioned before.

2) Increase yourself awareness by doing a good personality instrument or getting a life coach. Introverts tend to experience lockdowns differently to extraverts. Our personality programs look at this in detail. One time on this program I said introverts like time alone, and an extravert called out, that's just like me - I need an hour a day alone. Afterwards an introvert came up to me and said, "I can't believe he only needs an hour - I need at least 5 hours alone every day."

3) Create a fitness or exercise routine that you can do at home without any equipment. Remember that it's important to begin slowly with any new type of exercise (and gradually build up difficulty) to avoid injury. Consider joining an online exercise class with a live instructor.

4) Start a daily meditation practice. Many studies show that for many people regular meditation can reduce stress and improve focus.

5) Schedule a regular video call (e.g., once per week or once per month) with one or more of your best friends. That way helps you stay in close contact through what might be a very socially isolating time.

6) Make a timeline of the most important events in your life (i.e., create a history of your life). Or make a list of the most amazing or memorable or surprising things that happened to you in your life, jotting down a few key elements from each story so you never forget them.