Dressing, Grooming and time management during lockdown days

Dressing and grooming in these days of lockdown 

With the lockdown and shutdown ,in some cases, the issue of choosing a dress for the day has become complicated 

I firmly believe that keep your mind focused on your grooming and dressing as if you have to work at the office 

Sitting at home and dressing well makes the mind believe that you are busy working thinking and doing work .

How do you dress and groom without going to office ? This could be a question in many minds 

Trust me take a bath early do your stuff breakfast before 8:30 and plan for a departure by 9 am for a 9:30’office in a taxi 

This will keep you focused on what is to be done inthe day 

Another benefit of being groomed and dressed early will keep your mind sharp for work in the day and not be like getting ready for a regular Monday when you do feel lazy after the Sunday when you lazed around the whole day 

In the lockdown you could easily choose being casual or dressed casually 

This would put you behind times when suddenly markets open and work starts 

Another advantage of looking Fresh and groomed is you will prompt your mind to respond to a quick phone from office as if you were in office not at home 

Plan your seat and laptop kept open for work before 9:00 am 

Another missing link is carrying food to office Now you just walk to the kitchen from the work space in the living room 

Let me remind you be happy smart well dressed each day so that you don’t miss out on using your best T’s or shirts 

Well I won’t ask you to wear your tie at home if you used it in official days

Some offices  have a rule of wearing the jacket for meetings with senior bosses 

Keep your schedule active for thinking,acting ,writing and eating or taking a break all in serious acting at home in the same way as you would and usually do at office 

My wife , daughters all go about as if they are all working 

I support in the kitchen and the younger daughter has plans to shift to a two diet plan for the day - one at 9 am second by 6 or 5:30 evening 

Trying the  two  meals is not recommended for the seniors above 60 Sticking to a three meal pattern with the lunch being one of fruits may reduce risk of any complications of dehydration or weakness 

I have lost a kilo in the 8 day period may be as I have stuck to one breakfast lunch of just   khichadi and kanji of red rice and strictly no snacking during the day 

I do tend to be hungry by 7 am and have to wait for the 9 am slot for breakfast 

So many changes have been implemented just because of the lockdown 

The saving grace has been two planned guided meditations of 30-40 minutes by Sri Sri every day at 12 and 19:30 

Today I had one additional meditation of devi kavacham for 14-20 minutes 

I miss one qualification and that is I did not learn Sanskrit though I can listen to chants in Sanskrit. Convent schooling did not strengthen the knowledge of the Ramayana 

And the Ramayana serial on T. V - Doordarshan channel has refreshed my knowledge of who is Rama who is Sita and Laxman.  Dashrath I know more than what I knew when I say Ramayana for the first time on TV in 1987

Today I sit and tears flow endlessly watching the touching scenes in Ramayana and I am happy time is well spent refreshing knowledge of Indian  Scriptures (morning 9-10 am and evening same time )

Day  schedule in the morning includes me-time for sadhana in the form of Sudarshan Kriya and pranayam all for keeping the  mind cool calm and sane 

Thanks for the wonderful schedule This season hope things settle down soon and world starts spinning soon 

Pray the lockdown is over soon and life moves ahead 

Muralidharan R Nair 

Written day 8 of locked down 

Published 2nd April 2020