How I’m planning to spend the next 500 hours of lockdown

Our acting Prime Minister Dominic Raab announced another three weeks of lockdown yesterday.  It was disappointing but guess it makes sense.   When we leave the lockdown we need to be sure we’ve really got on top of this awful virus.  

News from other countries who thought they had it under control shows that it’s not going away. I’m just hoping we get through these next few weeks and can resume something like normal life – perhaps with face masks and continued social distancing until a vaccine comes along.

Since retirement I’ve become somewhat obsessive about making the best use of time and with travel and socialising off the agenda this brings new challenges.

We’re already part way through our first day of the new lockdown so I’ve got 20 days of it ahead which rounds to around 500 hours.   This is how I’m planning to spend it:

HoursActivityComment
140SleepI’d love to actually be asleep for all this time, the reality is I’ll be lying awake trying to sleep for some of it
20FitnessRunning, cycling, weights, garden badminton and table tennis
40BlogWriting my daily diary and all the connected work around the social media and website
40BusinessClient work which has slowed a bit since the virus took hold plus other projects around marketing and finance
30Garden maintenanceDigging, weeding, mowing, edging
15Garden projectsBig jobs such as jet-washing, creosoting the shed and fence
40ReadingI’d like to read three books over this time, started a promising book ‘Three Wishes’ by Liane Moriarty
40TV watchingRelaxation at the end of the day, films, box-sets, TV series, Britain’s Get Talent, Killing Eve etc
20FoodPlanning, preparing, cooking and eating.  Making sure we vary our diet a little more
10Marital intimacy!Everything from cuddling upwards, am yet to mention this to Mrs Jones!
20DIYThere’s a couple of painting jobs that need doing – that’s if I can get hold of the paints.
10HobbiesMight get my stamp album out again,  online Scrabble.
20NewsReading the daily papers, watching the last virus updates
15WalkingSometimes for leisure, sometimes to get essential supplies in
10SocialPhone calls to family, connecting via social media
10PlanningThinking about future holidays, sorting out financial issues etc
10DomesticTidying, bins and a range of other domestic tasks for which I have to admit Mrs Jones does most
10RelaxationJust sitting quietly and meditating!

I reckon that adds up to 500 hours – am sure there are things I’ve forgotten – doesn’t seem too bad a way to spend a few weeks. 

Through it I’m really focusing on spending less time on the internet, looking at my phone and focus much more on de-stressing at a time when I’m lucky enough to have very little pressure.

How are you spending your next 500 hours of lockdown?

Published by brianjonesdiary

Dad, husband, brother and son. Interested in travel, politics, sport, health and much more. Semi-retired and aiming to making the most of life as I approach my sixth decade.

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