We’ve spoken a lot these last few weeks about the many van drivers who are still on the road and keeping the country moving, but for some of you out there, you too may have found yourself grounded due to the lockdown. If your business is temporarily suspended, hopefully, you’ve found yourself furloughed and are not reduced to claiming Universal Credit or waiting for the Coronavirus Payment Scheme for the self-employed to kick in.
Hopefully, the other thing that you’ve remembered to do is go and start your van at least once a week to prevent a flat battery. A gentle rev for 15-20 minutes a week keeps the roadside recovery at bay, or so the saying might go, if it was written for van drivers.
So, for those of you who aren’t working right now, what are you up to? New research shows that Brits are making the most of lockdown and teaching not just the kids, but themselves a whole load of new skills in the downtime.
Maybe you’ve taken the time to work on your fitness. If it’s anything like where we live, there are a whole plethora of new exercise nuts out every day pounding the pavements on a daily jog, or the road on their bikes. Some of you have even been finding their inner zen, with more people than ever turning to online yoga classes (ourself included).
Or something more domesticated, perhaps? A bit of home baking explains the shortages in the shops of eggs and flour which still seem to be in short supply. Research shows that banana bread has been a particular favourite with lockdown Britain.
DIY – yes, the photos of the massive queues outside the home improvement stores are for real, as many have decided now is the time to paint that room or fix up those odd jobs your other half has been on your case about for years. We may be locked down, but at least we’re in a nice place to be.
Gardening has also understandably been popular, especially given the good weather and sunshine we’ve been lucky enough to be enjoying. Although for many of us with garden waste services suspended and tips still closed, the productivity and amount of work that can be done might be easing off with nowhere to put the cuttings and shavings.
And, rounding out the popular pastimes has been learning a language. Yes, we may have left the EU, but that hasn’t stopped the people of Britain polishing up their parlez-vous or honing their hola.
Which all goes to show, we may come out of this coronavirus poorer, but we might find our lives have been enriched in other ways.
And if you are still out on the road – stay safe.
