When I first started working from home over six weeks ago, everything felt rather sudden. One moment I was working from my desk in London, catching the bus to and from work as usual and hugging my colleagues. The next, I was back at my parent’s house in the countryside, trying to create a makeshift desk space and contemplating an uncertain future.

Within a week of this new arrangement, Boris Johnson had announced the country was going under lockdown. Amid a flurry of Zoom calls, long distance dates and waves of anxiety, I spent most of my time trying to come to terms with this new way of life.

You see, I, like many humans, love a bit of routine. While some people might roll their eyes at the predictability of a schedule, I revel in it.

The familiarity of catching the bus to work, having my morning cup of tea and sitting down for a natter with my colleagues is something that brings me joy. Of course, outside of work things vary day by day depending on what I’m doing in the evening and who I’m seeing, but having a general idea of what to expect from a day helps me to feel calm and collected.

As I say, I’m not the only one – for most of us, having a routine helps to give (much-needed) structure to our lives. When all of that is made impossible overnight thanks to a global pandemic? It’s a lot to handle.

Lockdown easing: “I’ve just settled into my ‘new normal’ – the idea of things changing again is overwhelming”