Like being released from prison: Adjusting to life after COVID lockdown.
As approximately 5 million Melbournites begin to venture out into the world after the Victorian Government has eased lockdown measures, a period of adjustment begins. People held on to the hope that things would return to “normal”, how we remember our world before the extensive lockdowns we have bravely endured. However, as we begin to see reports of long lines at retail stores and with restaurants and pubs operating at reduced capacity (often booked out for weeks!). We begin to see that we are heading towards a new “COVID Normal” reality. A reality that is full of renewed hope and growth granted to us by adhering to these lockdown measures.
So, how do we adjust? How do we get used to this new normal and work through those feelings of uncertainty? Below I share a few ideas that have given me some success. It’s important to recognise that our individual journeys may differ, but I’d love to hear what worked effectively for you and your personal journey.
Embrace learning about our new world.
The greatest opportunity for personal growth comes from periods of change. The first lockdown brought us joy by being able to pursue those hobbies we had always dreamt of, from learning a language to upskilling professionally. Various Online Learning platforms have experienced incredible growth over this time. For example, Coursera experienced quintuple user growth compared to 2019, increasing their valuation from $1.6 billion USD in 2019 to $2.5 billion USD in July 2020.
Learning has enabled me to be able to reflect on how I am contributing to society. It has encouraged me to be outward with my reflections and learnings and given me the courage to share my writing with the world.
As we begin to move back into the world, we have a unique opportunity to redefine what our lives look like. Time is a finite resource and now we have an opportunity to choose where (and with who) we invest it.
Feeling frustrated? Communicate.
We are going to make mistakes. It’s human nature to move forward with such excitement that we bite off more than we can chew. Overextending ourselves can leave us with feelings of frustration, even doing activities we used to enjoy can lead us to feelings of overstimulation in this adjustment phase.
“When we share our frustrations with the people we care about approaching the conversation with a lens of compromise can often lead to a more successful outcome.”
The best way I’ve found to work through these feelings of frustration is to communicate with the people close to us. This is even more relevant when it’s the people we are close to who are bringing up these frustrations!
When we open up and share our thoughts with the people we care about approaching the conversation with a lens of compromise can often lead to a more successful outcome. Compromise is an important feature in every type of relationship and we need to be able to communicate effectively to reach this point of mutual growth.
How do we cope, healthily?
We often find ourselves reaching for familiar coping mechanisms in times of distress. During the lockdown, it was far too easy to reach for that alcoholic beverage that used to make us happy (especially with bottle shops being declared an “essential service”). Government guidelines suggest that healthy alcohol consumption sits at no more than 10 standard drinks per week. With a bottle of red wine sitting at approx 8 standard drinks, this is a limit that is easy to reach. Keep an eye on your coping mechanisms as we begin to move into this phase of freedom.
This is a great time for us to reassess existing patterns and look at slowly integrating new habits. I have found that rebuilding those eroded social connections or introducing regular exercise have been great ways to be able to regain a healthy balance in life.
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy
Our capacity has diminished.
We also need to remind ourselves that it’s okay not to be okay. Go easy on yourself. I’ve found there are even activities I found stimulating in the past that don’t enjoy any more. This isn’t a bad thing necessarily; it’s a reflection of my changed emotional and physical capacity to operate.
I’ve had to remind myself that after 8 months of groundhog day that it’s okay to want to shy away from activities that used to bring me joy (such as Netflix, or Video games). I now crave social connection and the ability to look someone in the eye when I have a conversation with them. However, this conflicts with the fact that in-person interactions leave me feeling tired and worn out!
We need to recognise and accept that our capacity for these things has been diminished by this extended lockdown, we need to be patient with ourselves as we recover.
Can our collective trauma be funny?
Humour has long been used as a way for us to cope with bad things happening in our lives. It lightens moods and laughter has been proven to release endorphins that soften our bodies stress responses.
Be prepared for people to make jokes. It’s not negating your trauma; it is often other people coping with theirs.
The Mayo Clinic suggests that long-term laughter can help improve your immune system, maybe we can laugh our way out of this pandemic?
Therapy!
It may seem obvious, but therapy has been an excellent additional support in this time. If you aren’t sure how to access these services in Australia speak with your GP who will be able to set you up with a Mental Health Care Plan, giving you access to up to 20 government-subsidized therapy sessions. They will also be able to put you in touch with a Psychologist trained specifically in treating the feelings you are currently experiencing. The process is really quite simple, your doctor will assess your situation by asking a few questions and then work with you to pull together a treatment plan tailored specifically for your needs. This may involve more than just therapy, but we will leave those decisions up to the medically trained professionals. When you book in with your GP, make sure you ask for a longer appointment time.
“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” — Abraham Maslow
Finally, we will get through this historical and monumental period of our lives. We will look back with pride with what we have endured as a society, but also with excitement with the social and structural changes it has been able to bring to our lives.
I look forward to hearing all of your stories and reconnecting with each and every one of you in the future.
