Plan Your Post-Lockdown Programming Now

After months at home, millions of people are now preparing to return to work and school. While workplaces, universities, colleges and schools were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are now re-opening with new guidelines in place.

Throughout lockdown, people relied on TV, films and games consoles for entertainment, education, exercise and much more. Now that people will be returning to work and school, however, they’ll have less time to catch up on their favourite programmes and play the latest releases. With these top tips, you can get a head-start on your post-lockdown schedule and ensure you don’t miss out:

1. Use your TV calendar

If you frequently spend time scrolling through your TV’s calendar to find something to watch, you might want to rethink your approach to entertainment. With so many options available, you can spend hours choosing what programme to watch, which leaves you less time to actually enjoy the show.

When your schedule is busier and you have less free time, you won’t want to waste it scrolling through a TV calendar. Fortunately, the Freeview Play TV schedule shows you what’s on in advance. This means you can take a look at what’s coming up and make a note of shows you don’t want to miss. By doing so, you’ll be able to watch your favourite shows without delay, whenever you find the time.

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2. Record your favourite shows

Nowadays, you don’t have to plan your schedule around what’s on the TV. Instead, you can create your own custom schedule by recording programmes digitally. The days of VHS tapes may be long gone but recording your favourite shows on to a hard drive couldn’t be easier.

The best way to do this is to choose a set top box with more than one tuner. The number of tuners determines how many channels you can record at the same time. When you choose a set top box with three or four tuners, for example, you can record multiple shows, even while you’re watching another channel.

3. Plan virtual meetups 

If you’re worried that returning to work or school is going to impact your social life, be sure to schedule events with your friends. Although some entertainment venues are re-opening with social distancing guidelines in place, you can still rely on virtual meetups to stay connected.

This is particularly good news for gamers. Millions of people from all over the world regularly connect while playing popular games, such as Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto or Fortnite. While people may not be available to play as frequently as they were on lockdown, scheduling a regular game time will ensure you don’t miss out on your favourite hobby.

4. Make relaxation a priority

Although people have been longing for lockdown to end for months, the reality of returning to work or school will take some getting used to. Early mornings, commuting and homework may be a shock to the system after months at home, so be sure to factor time for relaxation into your diary.

In addition to this, you’ll want to ensure that you deal with any anxiety or nerves you have about returning to ‘normal life’. COVID-19 is still present, which means people must follow certain guidelines in order to try and reduce the risk of contracting it. Understandably, many people are worried about returning to school or work under these conditions, which could cause or exacerbate anxiety.

If you’re finding the transition tricky, there’s no need to panic. It’s perfectly normal to feel this way. As you become accustomed to following safety guidelines, such as wearing a mask and socially distancing, you’re likely to feel much more confident. In the meantime, however, be kind to yourself and incorporate some downtime into your routine. By relaxing in front of the TV or chilling out with your games console, you can take a break from the stress of day-to-day life and protect your wellbeing.

Entertainment in a Post COVID-19 Era

When the COVID-19 outbreak first started, strict lockdown measures were introduced in a bid to reduce transmissions. Due to this, entertainment changed completely. People could no longer go out to the cinema, live shows or concerts. Instead, at-home entertainment was called upon to keep us busy.

While live events, music gigs and cinemas are re-opening, the trend for virtual at-home entertainment looks set to stay. With increased flexibility and choice, as well as lower costs, millions of people are still enjoying the freedom that at-home entertainment provides.