The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on both my physical and mental health. I don’t think that I am alone in that.
Back in January, I lost the junior dev in my shop and I received the list of candidates for replacing them just three days before the meat-space office closed. With the shop consisting of just me, I haven’t been able to take more than the occasional Friday off since then. I have close to eight weeks of PTO available at this point and significant pressure to not use any of it. Most of my outlets for entertainment have been shut down by the pandemic, as well. I can’t go to movies, hang out with folks in a coffee shop, or see live music. I’m not sure what to do with myself, anymore.
In the before times, most of my day-to-day fitness came from riding my bike, going to the gym, or walking the dogs. From roughly April 1 to November 1, I commute to work on my bike. On top of that, I live a block from one of Milwaukee’s best urban trails and use it frequently. Not only did I lose my bike commute this year but I also stayed off of the trails completely for the first 3 months of the lockdown.
So, what is my plan to remain as healthy as possible? I started by buying a smartwatch. I figure that metrics could help. With the weather turning, outdoor walks aren’t really viable anymore. I was tempted to go back to the gym but I really can’t afford to risk getting COVID, at this point. I have an elliptical machine that I bought years ago but don’t use much. I am probably going to start using that more.
Beyond that, I’m hoping that a project or two will help. I’ve previously looked at working on my pilot’s license. The problem is that whatever I do needs to be covid-safe.
Have a suggestion? Feel free to drop a comment, below.
[ Cover photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash ]