Trying to Embrace and Make the Most of Winter in a Lockdown
Tags: Winter Activities, Winter Blues, Lockdown, Winter

Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels

I am here in Toronto, Canada with our lockdown due to the pandemic and winter in full swing.

With the upcoming months of the weather only getting colder and the lockdown persisting with Covid cases increasing, things can look pretty dreary for the rest of the season ahead.

In regular past years, I usually do struggle a bit with the winter. The lack of sunlight and grey skies gets to me. Winter is usually more indoor time to watch movies, but at least before I had options to eat out somewhere, grab a matcha latte at a local café and read a book, go to a board game café, movie theatre, or to a busy skating rink without a reservation.

I know we’ve already been through a lockdown in the spring/ summer, but then I spent my weekends going on different hikes and biking trails in nice sunny weather and my neighbourhood walks were a lot more enjoyable as well.

Whether we like it or not, the winter and a lockdown are occurring at the same time, so let’s try to make the most of this situation.

Here’s how I’ve tried making the winter a bit more enjoyable for me:

Still Going Outside For Walks and Hikes

It’s cold, grey and possibly even snowy and no one wants to leave their warm and cozy home to bear the elements, but I think it’s still really important to try and get outside once a day.

We usually aren’t walking too much in our home and the fresh crisp air does help me feel more awake and helps uplift my mood a bit.

Tips to make the winter walk more enjoyable:

-Getting a walking buddy in your area (I, unfortunately, don’t currently have one)

-Making sure you have the proper warm weather gear, a walk isn’t enjoyable when you’re freezing

-Have something to listen to: an uplifting playlist or a Podcast. I only listen to podcasts on walks now, which helps me have something to look forward for the next walk

-Scheduling in your walk at a regular time. For example, I try going after I eat lunch on my work lunch break.

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Making Cooking More Fun and Exciting

We all need to eat, so why not make a little fun weekly challenge for yourself to change things up?

My partner and I go to the grocery store once a week and for that night we don’t have a plan of what to cook. The challenge is to find the 50% off eat tonight sale items at the grocery store and try to make a delicious meal out of them.

This challenges me to be more spontaneous, try new foods, makes a fun date night activity with my partner and also helps these foods from going straight to the garbage at the end of the night at the grocery store.

Our activity has been a regular weekly occurrence that I started posting our challenges on my Instagram stories on my personal account, hopefully, it will inspire others to do their own cooking challenges!

For cooking, you can make a challenge out of anything you make up. For example, dinner for 2 under $10, dinner featuring sale items, using a seasonal vegetable in a new recipe, using 1 vegetable 3 different ways, a cook-off challenge versus who you live with…the options are endless!

Cozy + Comforting Meals and Beverages

With the cold weather, I crave warm and cozy foods and drinks. I’m frequently making different soups and stews and mixing together new ingredients for hot beverages.

My new Sunday routine includes making a new healthier naturally sweetened dessert. I’ve made almond flour brownies, chickpea chocolate chip cookies, a peanut butter honey fudge and the next one will be chocolate truffles. Check out my Pintrest Board for inspiration of the recipes I’ve saved.

If you’re into cooking a fun routine can be to do a weekly comforting dish or weekly baking, and it’s a nice mindful activity that can be enjoyed after with yourself and those you live with.

Photo by Nicole Michalou from Pexels

Cozy Home Environment

A warm and cozy environment is just as important as eating comforting foods!

We will be spending more of our time indoors, so let’s optimize our indoor experience. Maybe getting a new wall art décor item to spruce up the look of your room, getting your favourite scented candle, a relaxing diffuser blend, regularly taking baths, journaling to relaxing music or curling up with a blanket drinking tea and reading a book.

Have a go-to cozy activity, ritual or nook to elevate your home indoor winter experience.

Non-Tech Connections with People

There’s been a lot of video calls with people, texting and talking on the phone, but it’s really nice to write a personal letter to a friend or family member, and even a nicer gesture to send a letter on a non-occasion time of year since it’s least expected.

I sent out holiday cards to my team at work writing how I’m grateful for their contributions and what I appreciate most about them. I had so much fun doing that activity and they really enjoyed receiving them that I recently thought of sending coworkers, friends and family letter during non-occasion times of year.

Letters have become so rare for so long, so let’s bring that personalization back!

Also, if you still grab coffee at a coffee shop or while getting your groceries making more small talk with the employees or other shoppers. We are all lacking in person connections, so it’s nice to chat with someone other than your household in person!

If you really want to embrace winter: taking up a winter sport

I’m personally not into skiing, tobogganing or snowboarding but if you are go for it!

I do like ice skating and have already went once at an outdoor rink near where I live. A winter sport gets you outside, active AND doing a fun activity.

A great aspect of the winter sport activities is that most can be done solo, but you also have the option to invite someone too.

Photo by Thomas Laukat from Pexels

Other Suggestions For Winter

· Getting into an old or new hobby that can be done at home indoors, i.e. painting, woodworking projects, blogging etc..

· Reading! I can still rent library books and have been reading more this whole pandemic. Maybe even starting a virtual book club

· Watching a new TV show series- if the series is long that will keep you occupied longer term (haha)

· Video games, board games and puzzles

· Starting a side hustle or passion project

· Doing new online workouts

I also have a list of free and low cost online activities and resources that you can do at home, if you want to check out more options.