Whether your reaction to the lockdown in March was to fight it tooth and nail (“this can’t be happening!”) or to go with the flow (“I’ll just see how things go”), you’ll have settled into a lockdown way of life. That might mean working from home at the same time as home schooling which must be a huge challenge, accepting the change of pace as you’ve been furloughed from your role or sitting to ponder what on earth the future will hold. However you’ve been affected, your days will have become more normal over time and you’ll have adapted to a very unique situation.
So now you’re feeling settled, let’s ease the lockdown and make everything change again! We can’t return to what was normal, that might never happen so we need to continuously adapt to new ways in a range of environments. Many of you will be quite comfortable navigating the supermarket shop now, that’s become quite normal. But what about the smaller shops, going back into your office or workplace and meeting new clients? Will their social distancing arrangements meet your expectations?! It’s a very anxious time for everybody so try to be kind to yourself and the people around you.
The Power of Self Care
People can under-estimate the value of self care but if you’re not well, you can’t help anyone else. Not for a sustained period of time anyway. The ‘anyone else’ might be your family and friends, your work colleagues and your extended social network, who for the most part do want you to be well, happy, safe, healthy and fulfilled in your life. And if they’ll invest in your wellbeing, you should match their level of effort shouldn’t you? To invest in yourself and keep yourself well, particularly in these difficult times. Increased anxiety during the lockdown and as we look to a new way of living is completely normal. It would be unusual if you didn’t feel a level of anxiety. So be kind to yourself, give yourself credit for what you achieve and don’t expect too much of yourself. Take one day at a time.
Note Your Achievements
By reflecting at the end of each day, you can think about what you’ve achieved. And I don’t mean the big stuff, although it’s fabulous if you do win big of course. But your achievements at the moment are the smaller things; managing to navigate some of the smaller shops, having conversations about returning to work and admitting that you’re feeling anxious about it, managing the list of post-lockdown social engagements so you’re not exhausted. You might not have done this before but you can put yourself first, to think about what will keep you well. Enjoying a balanced post-lockdown life can be wonderful if you manage your own and other people’s expectations assertively and effectively.
Karen Warren is a Personal Development Specialist and the owner of KW Inner Strength.
You can get in touch with Karen via her website here
