While we had to readjust and find new ways of living during lockdown, we will need to rethink our lives and habits when this is all over.
While many people used the lockdown as an opportunity to rethink their lifestyle, become healthier and slow down their pace. Many others reached a much higher level of anxiety and insecurities, or threw themselves into unhealthy habits such as much more alcohol and excess eating, less motivation for physical activities and less interest in social interactions.
All of this will need to be personally reviewed when we are free to return to our ‘old lives’. It won’t simply be a case of ‘returning to normal’, because what was perceived as our usual routine has been shaken, questioned and taken away from us. Nothing is the same. And there’s a need to remove judgment and assumptions. It’s not about ‘better or worse’, ‘good or bad’, ‘more or less’, but simply ‘different’. It’s all different now.
The pace has changed. Friendships have changed. Notion of time and space revalued. Need for silence or interaction are now questioned. The way we work and relate with our professional colleagues found a new dynamic. The need for breaks and holidays have been much more appreciated. And there’s been an increased awareness that life used to be much more packed up and unnecessarily busy.
When returning to the old way of life, post-lockdown, all this will be reviewed and challenged once again. And many people will feel anxious and lost. Others will feel free and empowered. But, overall, everybody will be affected, yet again.
So how to make that transition as painless and beneficial as possible? How can you use the return as an opportunity for change?
Visualise the life you want, moving forward
Don’t just ‘go with the flow’, on auto-pilot. It’s time to stop that hamster wheel and take charge. Become more conscious of the steps you want to take and the life you really want to live. It’s so easy to fall back into old behaviours and attitudes, because they feel so familiar and comfortable. But is comfortable what you want? This is a good moment to pause and make conscious decisions. Take a moment to think what sort of life you want to live, moving forward. Same speed, same habits, same routines? Or a better pace, more balance, more fun, less worries?
Bring the good things you experienced in lockdown into your new life
However bad or unstable this time has been for you, I’m sure you’ve experienced some good things for you. Either going to bed earlier, or not rushing so much, spending more time with the kids, learning something new, reading more, saving some money, taking up running... whatever it was. Some things would be worth incorporating into your new routine. Maybe not living so much for your job? Or not being so busy all the time? Or exercising more? Now it’s the time to be selective and constructive. Make sure you don’t forget the good stuff you’ve experienced during the toughest times.
Don’t fall into old habits that don’t serve you anymore
Did you use to pack your day with lots of stuff? No time for anything else, no balance? Were you constantly worried and anxious about things you couldn’t control? Have you become more aware of ways you used to do things in your life, things that had to change during lockdown? Have you learned new things about yourself, your emotions and behaviours? However much or little you’ve realised about your old life, not it’s time to change the things that hold you back and don’t serve you anymore. If old habits were less evident during lockdown, carry on lowering their importance in your daily life. Make a conscious decision to leave them behind.
Be more aware of the collective
Lockdown affected all of us. Nothing like a global pandemic to make us aware of the universe we live in and how human suffering doesn’t choose gender, wealth, race, age or religion. We were all in this together. And it’s important to hold on to that view of community and universal connectedness.
Bring more awareness and mindfulness into your life
The lockdown created a state of more ‘sensitivity’ in us. If you paid attention, you were able to notice your emotions and behaviours much more. Because there were less ‘busyness’ and overload of mental information. If that’s the case, keep doing that. Keep noticing what you are really feeling and the way you are behaving in your life. That can be extremely transformative.
Reach out for help
You are not alone in this. If you feel more anxious, stressed, insecure, sad or in despair, remember that there’s always help available for you. It’s another uncertain time in our lives. Changes cause wobbles and the ‘unknown’ can be scary. Talk to someone you trust: friend, family member, therapist, counsellor. Don’t keep it all inside, because that will just make things bigger and worse.
Take your time
There’s no need to rush all at once into everything you used to do before. Be more selective. Add activities little by little, without overloading yourself. And only the activities that really matter to you.
Find new routines that help you grow and develop as an individual
Lockdown has been a time of changing the pace. We were forced to slow down. No commuting, no rush, no ‘millions of things to do’. When going back to ‘normal’, make sure you choose what ‘normal’ will mean to you. Try not to go through life on auto-pilot, sleep walking. If you got to know yourself a little more during such a difficult time, make sure you continue that self-awareness process. Continue taking time off, time for yourself. Include moments of peace and silence into your daily routine. Write a journal, learn something you’ve always been interested in, follow your passions. Try not to fall into the ‘old routine’, all the same again. Make this a new start. A new step. Just the way you would like it to be.
Most importantly, never take anything for granted again. Especially your freedom, the ability to come and go to places, your health, your choices, your loved ones. After lockdown, a ‘free life’ will need to take a new meaning in our lives. Hopefully, we will appreciate the small, simple things even more: a hug, a kiss, a handshake, the freedom to go anywhere, anytime.