How has walking helped me to get through the pandemic?

The short answer to this question is: it has made me more productive, it has made me physically healthier and it has made me mentally healthier. I can be the most incredibly lazy person known to man when I want to be and so when the time came for us to be locked down at home there was always a reason not to leave. In the first lockdown I had essays and a dissertation to finish. During the second wave we were heading into winter and it was cold and rainy and inside was warm and had blankets and food. But now, as we are who knows how long into the third national lockdown, walking has become a real solace for me mentally and physically.

In the first national lockdown, I had university work to complete and I approached the situation by forcing myself to sit at my desk and stare at my work, no matter how unproductively, because then at least I was there and giving myself the opportunity to work. When mum would suggest a walk, I would have to factor it into my schedule but was worried about running out of time for my studies and I saw it as a chore. After a few weeks however, I clocked onto the fact that I am not meant to write essays in the morning; we all have a time of day when we work best and before 12:00 is not my time. Going for a walk was far more productive for me than sitting at my desk lying to myself that I was working when really, I was sneaking visits to club penguin (nostalgia hit me hard). So, I started walking to and around the local park every day before lunch, and each afternoon I achieved so much more than I had been by forcing myself to sit at my desk for those hours.

On saying this, the perks of this situation were:

• It was coming into summer, so it was light and bright and warm
• The park was easy to access on foot being just 2 minutes from my house
• The park was open plan and I felt safe going alone if mum was at work

In September we moved to a new house and things got very busy with unpacking, starting a new job, etc. We had just about got settled once the second lockdown hit and by then it was cold, and it was dark, and it was wet. Mum was going into work every day so I had lost my walking buddy and as I worked evenings, I was alone and left to my own devices during the day. As previously mentioned, I can be very lazy and so I didn’t venture out on my own, instead I sat in bed and binge watched TV. Having recently graduated this was my first experience of official adult life and I did not know what I was supposed to be doing with myself outside of work. I started to feel grumpier, heavier physically and mentally and a bit lost. I didn’t see the problem at the time however and I kept on doing nothing because it was easy and comfortable and I was luckier than a lot of people were, in that I had a job and a house and so I was just letting the days pass unaware of the issue with that.

 

BUT Christmas came eventually, and I started getting out of the house more. It started with a few Tesco shops and then once the school holidays came I was once again dragged outside, ordered to put on my wellies and marched through the fields and down country lanes. It is only now in hindsight that I realise how much more life I feel like I have and how much more motivation and happiness I start the days with. It’s a pain having to wear outside clothes and shoes that vaguely match the outfit, but the fresh air is like a hit of endorphins in itself. Plus, walking with company can mean you create lots of treasured memories. I still think back fondly now on the first lockdown and having that time each day with my mum, and we have had some hilarious moments in our recent walks, for example stumbling across an emu, as seen in the video below. Even when walking alone I feel healthier in myself for raising my heartbeat even a little bit each day.

So, to sum up, if you are stuck at home whether you’re working or not working, whether you’re a student or retired, whether you’re alone or with a huge household, walking or just being out of the house in some respect can be the thing that helps you get through. You might be struggling, you might not even realise that you’re struggling until you get out there, but even 10 minutes of fresh air might be your saviour in the long run. It breaks up the day so if you’re working or studying from home you aren’t just moving from your bed to your desk to your sofa and it can make the work that are you doing better, and your time sat working more productive because you have given yourself a proper break. I am by no means saying that walking will fix all of the ills in the world or that it will help everyone as some people will be struggling far too much… but I am saying that if you haven’t tried it, give it a go! And not just for a day, but for a week, make it a routine and you will miss it when you don’t go. Make memories with your household, feel healthier in yourself and take in the moment with a deep breath. It helped me and it might just help you too. There is always a reason not to but don’t let it get in the way of your wellbeing.