Rose Leslie had to "confront" how "wired" she was during lockdown

She said: "Kit and I, we were in the countryside initially and revelled in the idea that 'this is going to last for three weeks, let's lap it up.'

"But my inability to slow down reminded me of what happens if I'm lucky enough to go on holiday. It takes me 10 days to come out of my fast pace of life, and then I begin to relax, by which point I'm on the way back home.

"With lockdown I had to confront just how wired I had become and that possibly wasn't serving me in the right way. If it weren't for the six months of being forced to slow down, I know I would have carried on.

"So, while I'm not claiming I'm not experiencing mental exhaustion any more, I felt it far greater back in March."

The 33-year-old star felt "incredibly grateful" to spent the time in the countryside and though she didn't do anything "productive", she has had a "mindful" few months.

She told Stylist magazine: "I feel incredibly grateful. My husband and I were fortunate to spend lockdown in the countryside.

"Having birdsong and greenery and hedgerows was such a blessing.

"We raised a puppy in lockdown. We were trying to eke out conversation over the dinner table, talking about nothing but what we'd eat the next day.

"It has been an extraordinary time for all of us, it certainly slowed us down.

"I have become aware of why I love London so much, it has to do with the abundance of distractions that we have readily available. If you don't have bars and restaurants or theatres or museums, if there isn't that distraction, then you have to confront your thoughts.

"Which is something we humans are very good at burying. It's been a real eye-opener.

"It's not been productive in a way that I've actually done anything, but it's been mindful."