[LISTEN] Forming new habits and recreating family rituals in the lockdown period

Clinical psychologist Khosi Jiyani talks about creating new ways of living through the lockdown.

As we are grapple with being confined to our homes during the lockdown period, it is important to form new habits and rituals as ways of coping.

With everything shut down, one is restricted to activities that no longer involve being out - for instance going to church as a family, visiting the zoo, having picnics at a park, gym and more.

Clinical psychologist Khosi Jiyani says with the luxury of time, one has the opportunity to recreate some existing rituals or form new habits.

She says however the first step is to mentally let go of what you are accustomed to.

First of all is the need to mourn the loss of a life known, habituated into because it is gone, it is suddenly has been taken away from you without your permission or consent.

Khosi Jiyani, Clinical psychologist

The thing about rituals is that they are otherwise generally just mundane things that we confer meaning to and become symbolically important to us.

Khosi Jiyane, Clinical psychologist

Jiyane says she has recently started exercising with a skipping rope.

Callers share new habits and rituals they have had to form during this time.

About three years ago I lost most of my sight and then adopted a little rescue dog and we go walking like two or three times a day. That ritual I am missing terribly. We have had to find ways to work around it like obstacle courses and all sorts of other little things, hiding snacks in the garden...

Dianne, Caller

I started listening to poetry, not reading, listening. I have started exploring the spoken word and I started putting some poems together.

Mavis, Caller

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