Adapting to the “New Normal”

04.03.2022

Life as we knew it has completely changed. And the culprit is the COVID-19 pandemic. It has created an uncertainty for our future in all aspects of our lives. Parents have started to home-school their children, roommates have been isolating from each other, wearing a mask is now mandatory in many places, and many of us have developed our own “wash the groceries” routine after a stressful visit to the store. All these things and more have become part of our daily routines. Words we had never heard before such as quarantine, epidemic, lockdown, and social-distancing are now all part of our daily vocabulary.

It seems like our old normal is a very long way away. But this could still happen if one of 3 things are achieved:

• An efficient vaccine is developed and is easily accessible worldwide,
• Effective and accessible anti-viral drugs are developed to treat everyone who is ill,
• Coronavirus continues to run its natural course and infects 80% of the population, at which point a “herd immunity” develops.

Until one of these things happens, we need to be prepared for the “new normal” and we must adapt to it. So, how can we find our silver linings?

Accept the situation

Unfortunately, this situation is uncertain, but it’s temporary.  Accepting the situation means recognizing the reality you are experiencing. It’s okay to not feel okay. If you are able to accept things as they are, it will help you keep your peace of mind at home and at work.

Give yourself a break

It has been really challenging to give up many things we used to enjoy. Not being able to go to the mall, movie theater, or beach as we normally would has been tough to handle. Moreover, wearing face masks when we do enter these places is another challenge. In order to keep away those bad feelings, you need to give yourself a time-out. Take a soothing bath, watch your favorite movie, listen to music and dance around by yourself… do whatever makes you feel less stressed.

Set a new routine

Setting yourself a routine can really be helpful. If you’ve started to work home, don’t change your working hours. Wake up and go to bed at the usual times. In addition to your work hours, make sure to schedule some time to maintain physical health. Exercise is a great stress reliever anyway! After work, spend time with your family or video call your friends. Keeping in touch with everyone can stabilise your emotional health.

Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t

Adjust your expectations. This process works differently for everyone and it’s not neat and well-defined. Don’t forget that this situation is extraordinary. Think on what you have achieved in the past, and set reachable goals that are still possible in these crazy times. Don’t forget that because of the measures you have to follow, you may not achieve some of your goals.

I hope that while reading this you understand that you’re not alone in this adjustment process. I hope everyone can find some peace in the chaos and by doing so learn more about themselves and the world around them. Tag your stressed friends for a little inspiration and follow us for more tips.