How to stay creative, calm and connected during lockdown

Stick to a routine - it’s easy to get in a rut while stuck at home, so make sure you keep to a routine to stay healthy while in lockdown. 

Get lots of Vitamin D. Eat lunch outside if you can and go for a walk around the block. Seeing the same surroundings over and over can be monotonous, so mix up your route, notice what’s around you and take photos of things that interest you. 

Photo of colourful gum leaves

Photo of colourful gum leaves

Practice self-care. Eat healthy meals, wear sunscreen, moisturise, get dressed and remember to make your bed!

Experiment in the kitchen. Cook different meals to keep things interesting, find recipes you would like to try online or go through that recipe book on your bookshelf that you haven’t picked up in a while.

Connect with loved ones. Send friends and family a text message, note, card or care package, or give them a phone call to let them know you are thinking of them. 

Draw every day. If you like drawing you could try the #100dayproject - draw something every day for 100 days. You can stick to a theme like drawing people’s faces, or you can draw a different item every day. You can set a time limit like 5-15 mins, but it doesn’t matter if you go over time.

Complete a project. Do something at home you’ve been meaning to do for a while but haven’t got around to. It could be as simple as sorting out your sock drawer, or something a bit more involved like painting the living room. Dust off that tin of paint you bought six months ago.

Snuggle up and read. If you enjoy reading you could set up a little cosy reading nook in a corner of your bedroom or living room.

Photo of Anna’s Logbooks

Photo of Anna’s Logbooks

Keep a Logbook. An idea from the book ‘Steal like an Artist - 10 things nobody told you about being Creative’ written by US Poet Austin Kleon is to write a logbook of what you did today. Not necessarily like a journal or a diary, just a few notes to jog your memory about that day; like what you ate, what you did and how you felt about it. I started mine in May, so I’ve written for a few months now.

Portraits with the kids for "The Australian" this week...

The surprise event this week was we had some photos taken of the kids and I for an article about the 2016 Australian census. Apparently the average Australian is a 38 year old woman with 2 children - THAT'S ME!!! Photo taken by amazing journalist photographer John Feder for The Australian. The photo wasn't used in the end... A little bizarre to be asked about myself and my life because of my age and situation. And so nice to have some good photos of the kids and I. I'm often saying to my hubby, I wish I had some nice shots with the kids. I'm usually behind the camera taking them of him and the kids... Life throws some funny things your way at times.

Anna Lloyd and kids by John Feder
Anna Lloyd and kids by John Feder.jpg

Photos by John Feder for The Australian - June 2017