Have you enjoyed returning to some of your favourite simple pleasures post lockdown? I sure have 🙂
☕️ A flat white from a mug
🍕 Pizza shared with friends and family
🚙 Exploring some of the sights, smells and sounds beyond my 5km radius
Amongst others 🙂
To do so I've adapted the way I approach routines. It's been a process of learning new routines, relearning old routines, and mixing both old and new into an adapted routine!
Learning New Routines
I've found it interesting that some of my lockdown routines, have stuck around past the lockdown lift. For me, my “new” lockdown cooking routines remain which is a real win! Having never been much of a cook, lockdown gave me the opportunity to better practise this necessary survival skill. This is something I've committed to try and keep doing, but I'll also be going out for dinner with family and friends as well.
Many of you were unable to visit the clinics in person, adapting to remaining connected through telehealth, our online events and virtual movement sessions over the past few months. In this first month since lockdown has lifted, we're still seeing everyone attend and we're also seeing so many of you attend the clinics in person once again as well!
Re-Learning Old Routines
I’ve noticed that I’m a bit out of the groove with my sleep as I'm adjusting to more social activities that I wasn't used to during lockdown. I didn't anticipate this to be a problem and have been caught a bit off guard. I'm now trying to be more mindful and am focussed on improving this.
Likewise, many of you have been sharing stories of how your activity levels were reduced, and now as you get back into your activities, you are finding it challenging.
Don't be discouraged. There are things to do to get a little bit more movement in your routine to make it less challenging to be active in the way you used to be.
Adapting! Mixing in the New and Old!
My walk for coffee on days I work from home has remained. I've started to genuinely enjoy figuring out all the different ways I can make my way back home after getting to my local cafe for my morning brew. Jacaranda's and Bottlebrush continue to keep the walk colourful and interesting 🙂
I've been asked many times if we would be doing less events and less virtual exercise. The answer is no, we are doing even more!
Whilst we have opened our doors and it has been so lovely to see many of you return. Our massage therapists remain in hot demand as we all ease out of lockdown life. Our exercise classes have resumed at both Chatswood and Parramatta whilst many of you have enjoyed returning to see your Rheumatologist in the flesh.
Our virtual exercise classes have carried on, and we are still delivering >35 live and guided exercise sessions each week. We ramped things up during the lockdown period, with many more workshops and Lifestyle Events. We are continuing these too!
What's changed?
We're all learning everyday that life isn't exactly the same as it was, but it certainly isn't lockdown life. There has been a bit of collective reflection on how we live from here on out. We have more choices in some areas. Many of us don't need to commute all the time. We've rediscovered the simple joys.
When it comes to movement, many of you are enjoying returning to more of your previous activities and combining it with virtual exercise. At BJC we find movement to be an essential component of feeling better, and we recognise that making movement a consistent part of your routine has always had barriers. During the past few months we've all been challenged to move past barriers in ways we might not have before.
Feel better in 4 weeks?
To feel better, movement is essential. Routines are challenging. Now what? Taking just that small step forward is all that's needed.
I wanted to share a new program with you that is designed to be easy, safe and accessible so you can develop a new routine in amongst some of your existing ones. We want to keep offering you new ways to reduce some of the barriers to being active, and hope this is might be the nudge you need to help you get started.
P.S. If you aren't a BJC Connect Member access the trial program here first!