Exercise regularly. Eat less (esp. chocolate). Apply for jobs. Research potential masters programmes. Study my prerequisites in advance. Write some overdue letters. Catch up with friends on the phone. Maybe do a puzzle or play some videos games. Avoid watching TV shows. Follow through on some favours I’ve promised to people. Start a blog.
This is a sampling of the ambitions I have for my time here. So far I’ve spent most of my time on the last one.
Yesterday, I didn’t really do anything other than work on my plan for my time here (and this blog). I already knew my ambitions but the fun part is always putting them into a proper, actionable plan.
The exercise plan is modest but better than nothing:
In the morning, a 4,000 step walk around (and around and around) the parking lot, half an hour of yoga, and 10 minutes of high-intensity interval training. Around lunchtime, another 4,000 step walk. One more walk around dinnertime and then another 30 minutes of yoga before bed.
The plan to eat less is pretty self-explanatory. I’ve been over-indulging when it comes to food for about the past 3 months and I can feel it. It does not feel good. I especially want to cut down on my sugar intake, which has been much higher than usual. Unfortunately, the hotel seems to have other ideas. I get dessert with every single meal. Literally. Breakfast this morning came with a brownie. A BROWNIE.
For all of the other goals, I have to-do lists. I won’t share them here because, as exciting as they are to me (I love a good list), they will be very boring to you. I haven’t set specific dates to work on specific things as I like to break the big lists into daily lists as I go. Things often shift as you move forward and I’ve learned to leave room for that. My system is to write a to-do list first thing in the morning for that day (though I often get excited and start on it the night before).
I’m guessing that not many of my neighbours share my feelings of excitement about what I can get done over the next couple of weeks. And yeah, in a lot of ways I would rather be at home. But the truth is, I’ve never, as an adult, had two weeks to myself with no obligations. I’m usually working full-time, studying full-time, or doing both of those at once, usually while in a relationship and taking care of an intelligent and energetic dog. I have none of that right now (I was let go because my company lost so much business in this pandemic).
So yeah, my circumstances may not be ideal in a lot of ways, but they also can’t be changed. So instead of bemoaning my reduced freedom, I am viewing this time as an opportunity. I choose to be grateful for what I do have. That includes the government’s strong and decisive approach to controlling this pandemic and I will do my part willingly.
Even if it means the torture of turning down a brownie.