OK let’s admit it, 2020 has been a rotten home-ridden year for most of us. 

While some of us profess to have taken on a spiritual pathway, others claim to have become household experts. In either case, we have all been forced to deal with the irony of life – we work so hard to build a home, only to crave to get out of it when possible. 

Yet the bottom line is, life is a balance of both – staying in with the people who mean the most to us, and stepping out to catch a break at the same time.

Whilst being around loved ones has happened (a lot more than probably needed/desired/wanted), catching a break has been difficult to do in the last year. 

Enough has been written and said about “the new normal”, and “things are getting better” and “a post-COVID world”. The truth is, we still don’t know what’s in store for us. 

What we do know is the here and now. “What is it that I can do that would change the current time for me?” 

At that micro level, we’ve mustered up 6 things you could do to catch a break and get some much needed “me time” out alone!

1. Sign up for outdoor workshops - learning a new skill does not harm anyone. If you are someone who likes to do things by yourself, take up a class and try it yourself. Not everything needs to be turned into a business, it could be just for fun.
2. Pamper yourself - In our busy lives, we keep complaining about not having enough time for ourselves. Make the change now. Don’t wait for when you “take a break” – grab this opportunity to get yourself a makeover and come out of the other side of this pandemic as a new you – physically and mentally as well.
3. A sweet re-treat- Sometimes going out by yourself and buying something as simple as your favourite ice cream can be the fixer upper you need. Surprise yourself. Be that childlike adult who finds happiness in the smallest of things!
4. Get Physical – While that could definitely mean a lot of things, we mean get adventurous. Try something wild like aerial yoga, kickboxing, or a round of squash or tennis with friends. If nothing else, badminton, or some classic school-time games are super fun too. When your body goes through an hour of physical exercise it distracts your mind from all the negative thoughts and problems of your life, at the same time releasing the stress which otherwise could be daunting
5. Go to a library – No we are serious. Although it is getting out of one space and walking into another, nothing beats the calming effect of a library on your mind. The smell of old books, like petrichor, can be just the therapy you need. Let the world around you fade away as you drown yourself in your favourite book today.
6. Just take a walk - Parks and gardens have always been associated with carefree, childhood days. Now that you’ve probably grown up a bit, we are sure it’s been a while since you last visited one. Take this pandemic as the excuse that pushed you back into those familiar places and see how just looking at those children playing with, birds chirping, and the touch of breeze passing by as you lay on the green grass can be a magical moment for you.

To all those who are thinking it but not saying it out loud, going out alone neither makes you an introvert or a loner. In fact, spending time by yourself allows you to get to know yourself better. It brings a sense of peace and understanding of our lives and what makes us happy and what doesn't.

So the next time you think that scrolling through Instagram and Facebook is the real deal, just look up a second and think of the last time you looked at things outside that screen, even if it is the plant overlooked by your window, or the little bird that sits on your pane every day.