Can you believe it's more than 12 months since we were first sent home in March 2020? Where has that year gone? Here in the Canberra bubble we've had it relatively easy, compared to Victoria, first, and now most of Sydney.

But has our year made us forget about what being in lockdown actually means, can actually do to our health and wellbeing, how we're to survive with a smile on our face?

For that's what I'm going to do.

I liked it last time. I liked working from home, being able to hang sheets on the line, or put dinner in the oven, in-between interviews. I liked it that we all made more of an effort to get our hour's exercise every day, even if it was a gentle walk around the neighboorhood. I liked a trimmed schedule, less things to do, more time to do it.

I feel a little guilty when I admit that. I feel for everyone who's not lucky enough to be in a position to continue working from home, who's seen their restaurant shut, had to call clients to cancel hair appointments, who can't open their gyms and make us all sweat a little, I really do.

But we have to face this latest episode - however long or short it might be - let's do it with a little love in our hearts.

Here's a few things we can do better this time.

Who else set up shop on the dining table last time, boundaries between home and work blurred by the convenience of flexible working. Didn't quite get that memo finished before dinner? It's not due till 9am so no one will worry if I don't turn to it before midnight. Don't do that this time. Work reasonable hours. Turn computers off. Don't answer emails. Sure, it might be easier to do it once the kids have finished their online lessons. But if employers are aware that you're dealing with a full workload and the kids and really something needs to give, then they have learned nothing and neither have we.

You need to clear that table so the family can sit down to dinner. The kids will be confused again, maybe they can't even remember round one. Sit down together and talk about the day.

Whatever living situation you might be in, find time to come together and find something good about the day. Plan tomorrow. I'm on my own for week one at least and I've vowed to eat dinner at the table with a book, rather than plonked on the couch with a blankie on my lap. I'm even going to set the table.

Have you got your pile of books, your television shows picked out, your podcasts in the queue? I know I have this time. For when you do switch off, it's okay to switch on. No doubt your mind will be full of things in the coming week or so. Give yourself permission to stop thinking, or at least escape into a good book.

Here are a few things on my list. 1979 by Val McDermid, where the great Scottish crime writer begins a new series set in different decades. Had the pleasure of interviewing McDermid, story coming soon, the book is super. Hacks on Stan, Jean Smart (and check her out in Mare of Easttown if you've missed that) plays Deborah Vance, legendary Las Vegas comedian. Amazing, honest, funny and incredibly sad. Highlight of the year. And cook from Every Night of the Week. Now.

We all know about the benefits of nature. Make sure you use up your allotted hour and get outside. Okay, maybe you've got a fantastic gym set up in the garage. Do that too. But get outside as much as you can. Even if you just have your first coffee of the day on your balcony. Please try to walk a bit. Run if you have to. Breath fresh air to clear your mind. And make sure you tune into a new ABC series Back to Nature. It couldn't be better timed. Almost as good as the real thing.