66-days of lock-down learns

This week, for the first time in a while, it felt a bit "more normal" as I headed into the office to work since three-months ago. For me, I have learnt and further built on habits that I never even knew about or thought about having at the start of 2020, celebrating the turn of the year.

And, I am sure you are the same - who'd have thought we would have leaned on video conferencing for a Friday / Saturday night quiz (certainly not me!!). For me, lock-down has had massive highs and some lows, but I cannot help think that at some point we will look back on this period and think 'what changed about ourselves?'.

At the 66-day point in the UK, I shared a post that focused on the number of days it takes to build a habit (https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/matt-cordas-a88b604a_visual-philanthropy-chart-activity-6671669610720333824-nlwc).

In short, theorists suggest it can take up to 66-days to cement and rise above the habit line, and into the green part of the graph.

Now approaching 100-days of a lock-down variance, set-out on March 23rd 2020 in the UK, I have made some notes throughout about the habits I've developed.

Here are my 66-habits that I feel I've either massively developed, learnt, nurtured and/or proud of during this lock-down period - what are yours?:

1. Working from home is possible - be it in the attic, bedroom, kitchen and garden (now all ticked off!)
2. Got used to a newer routine
3. Walks to the local beauty spots have become a day-off
4. The birds actually sing when we work - not just in the morning
5. Days off work / school due to the snow will probably be a thing of the past
6. Cyclist complainers have become cyclists
7. 'Normal' work attire has certainly become snug to wear
8. A t-shirt here and a pair of shorts there have been worn
9. I even wore a Flamingo shirt for a Zoom work call...
10. Got to know my parents and family much more
11. My morning work commute is now a few steps
12. Meetings have become shorter but there feels to be more
13. Made (and rebuilt several times) our work spaces
14. Explored places I never thought existed
15. Limiting us to one-day of exercise got you outside
16. We have a dog, his name is Ralph (below)
17. Ralph and me have become the best of buddies

18. We've taken to Strava, Joe Wicks and home-workouts

19. Picked my head out of my phone screen

20. Noticed things I never knew were there

21. Waved and smiled at people I simply wouldn't have done

22. Kept two-metres apart from one-another

23. I've started to read more - a lot more than the single book I read during secondary school!

24. Podcasts have become useful

25. We've had more time to do "me" things

26. Attempted to grow a beard - it lasted six-weeks - and remained no more than face fluff...

27. A lot of Pringles and chocolate was consumed

28. I've missed not seeing people

29. My hair grew to an uncontrollable length

30. Gone 13-weeks (and counting!!!) without a functioning cooker

31. Learnt to cook more than pasta

32. And had a few more takeaways than normal

33. Amazon deliveries have hit an all-time peak

34. Ralph always barks at the delivery

35. We've had to postpone many plans (but most can be rearranged)

36. And made new ones that we never would have

37. We clapped and cheered at 8pm on a Thursday for our NHS

38. Driven and generally traveled on more than two-wheels a lot less

39. Missed live sport

40. Haven't been able to see friends and family as much as we would have done

41. We've seen air pollution reduce

42. Our home electricity bills have gone up

43. We have been gifted with some incredibly wonderful weather

44. The house walls and garden fence at home have had a few coats of paint

45. A Houseparty has gone online

46. Teams and Zoom have become our new virtual video friends

47. Changing your video background was exciting

48. Doing a quiz, social or family gathering over a video call has become normal

49. I've learnt how to make actual coffee (and not press a button!)

50. I've met colleagues' kids, other halves, parents, grandparents, pets... over video

51. We got to know aspects of people we (and probably would) never would have known

52. Been given virtual tours of peoples homes

53. Attempted a bit of Spanish to go back to my Cordas routes (oh si!)

54. Probably watched far too much Netflix (other choices available!)

55. Spilled coffee over the home carpet (oops!)

56. Been chased by a sheep

57. Our NHS has been truly incredible

58. We queued outside our local shop as if we are queuing for a theme park ride

59. Ralph appeared in a video meeting or three...

60. Crocs (the shoe, not animal) have become my go-to shoe

61. Conquered the entire Harry Potter box set (again!)

62. 66-days has felt like 66-weeks

63. We were and continue to be inspired by 100-year old Sir Captain Tom Moore

64. We've adjusted somewhat to a new normal in times of hardship

65. We've had some amazing, positive and community spirit

66. Above all, we've all remained brilliant people.

Whilst we could all recount some of the above, no-doubt we all have our personal views of lock-down. For some of us, we have lost people close to us, gone beyond and out of our comfort zones, and that should not be lost.

For me, whatever a post lock-down normal brings, I do hope we don't forget some of the positives shared above.