Kristin Macfarlane: Why I'm enjoying the Covid 19 Coronavirus lockdown

The benefits of lockdown go beyond health and safety. Photo / Andrew warner

On Sunday, I taped an old branch to the broken handle of my broom so I could keep using it.

As I was taping I thought about that if the handle snapped the week before, I probably would have driven to Mitre 10 and bought a new one.

But in the coronavirus lockdown, it's not possible.

We're now forced to forget the life of convenience many of us have lived and get back to basics, which can't be a bad thing.

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Instead of buying takeaways because we "ran out of time" to cook, didn't have all the ingredients we needed for a foodie-approved meal or because we just couldn't be bothered, we're now adapting our meals to what we have in pantries, fridges and freezers.

We've been given the chance to remember to eat to live, instead of living to eat.

We've become more aware of being more sustainable, prompting many in our communities to consider growing their vegetables.

Instead of looking at going somewhere, surrounded by people, in our spare time, we're reconnecting with our own families in a more private setting. We're saving money rather than spending it on things that we don't really need. We're getting jobs around the house that we had delayed for so long because we had "other things to do". We're getting creative about how to spend time at home, we're learning new skills and we're re-discovering items we forgot we had and realising we have plenty to keep us entertained at home.

Covid-19 is a serious problem and staying home and in our bubbles is vital for the health and safety of our country. But if you ask me, the benefits go well beyond this.

We're giving nature a break - Mauao included. Fewer cars and planes being used mean fewer emissions polluting our environment.

And we're thinking outside the convenience bubble we've become accustomed to – something I'd assume we're struggling with more than our grandparents.

From Massey University's free online te reo Māori and tikanga Māori courses, to one of my favourite artists, James Bay, giving guitar tutorials on Instagram and the multiple group video calls I've had in recent days on top of my normal work, life and family duties, I can't imagine feeling bored over these weeks of lockdown.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website