7 ways to stay balanced as we get back to normal life

Isn't it incredible to think that what we thought was going to be a couple of weeks break from the norm in March 2020 when schools and workplaces closed has actually gone on for well over a year...Only time will tell how long it will really be before things go fully back to normal. Over this time in lockdown, furlough and finding new ways of being we've got used to the restrictions that have impacted our daily lives, work and ability to see colleagues, friends and family. Now that lockdown has eased and the vaccine schedule is well underway we all need to stay mentally and physically balanced as we navigate the change back to 'normal life' and how things were before COVID-19 hit our shores.

Here are my 7 ways to stay balanced as we move towards normal life:-

1. GO AT YOUR OWN PACE

Everyone has a completely unique set of circumstances with their own health, family and work to consider. There is still a virus out there even though the vaccination schedule has widely been considered a success it's normal to feel some level of anxiety about things going back to normal. There's that well known 'change curve' that we will all have to navigate when some days we might feel some denial, anger, and lows before we move to acceptance and the ability to mentally move forward with this change. (Ref The Kubler Ross Change Curve) The main thing to say is that you will all need to navigate this change at your own pace, do what you are comfortable with at any one time and remember that you can go both forwards and backwards on the curve. Some days you will feel more confident about going out, socialising or being at work than others. Think of it as a long term plan; a marathon not a sprint.

2. TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE FEELING

This is a time when you will need to talk honestly and openly to your colleagues, boss, family and friends so they understand where you are at and how you are feeling. You will probably find out that when you open up to people and express how you are feeling you won't be alone and you'll find others who are feeling the same or similar emotions to you. One tip is to 'label' how you are feeling, in conversation actually say the emotion 'I'm feeling anxious' or 'I'm feeling low' as this helps to dampen down the emotion. As you say it out loud think about how that has resonated with you, do you really feel like that or are you actually feeling something else? Maybe you feel more positive or hopeful than you thought? Don't forget no state of emotion lasts forever, all emotions come and go and change over time, give yourself a chance to feel the emotion and acknowledge it for what it is.

3. BE KIND TO YOURSELF

You might feel like you are still on the 'coronacoaster' of emotions that we've all been on throughout 2020. It's completely normal to feel mixed emotions at this time of change; happy, joyful, anxious, scared, hopeful and worried all spring to mind to name a few. However you are feeling, give your yourself permission to feel the emotion and go with it. Now is is the time to embrace the change and be kind to yourself, giving yourself plenty of time and space to get your head around things. Try to set some time aside to reflect and think about how you are feeling and feel able to accept all these different emotions that you are experiencing.

4. DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING

This one is easy to write and much harder to do in real life as it's about not comparing yourself with others. We all do it to some degree but it will give us absolutely no joy. Try to not worry about what other people are doing, they might be in a totally different situation to you or feel very differently about the virus and things getting back to normal. They can go at their own pace and so can you.

5. MAINTAIN COGNITIVE BALANCE

There are 7 mental activities needed to gain cognitive balance and the ultimate healthy mind; rest, exercise, being in flow, socialising, having fun, mental down time and being mindful. (Ref The Healthy Mind Platter by David Rock and Daniel J Siegel) If you can pro-actively build these activities in to your day you will achieve the ultimate mental balance and a healthy mind to help you to be in the best place to navigate new situations in work and socially as life gets back to normal.

6. STRETCH YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Socially our comfort zones have shrunk during the pandemic and there a lots of different situations people have found themselves in that would have been outside of the norm before 2020. Including but not limited to; shielding, living on their own, living with one other person, living in a family with homeworking and home schooling going on, the list could go on. We've all got used to seeing only a limited number of faces in real life and others on screens. It's totally understandable that there is some social anxiety about the first group social gatherings or shops, pubs and entertainment venues reopening. You will need to stretch gently out of your comfort zone, your new norm, and push down barriers to start to feel comfortable in these social situations that were second nature to us before. Try to have a measured approach to avoid going out of 'stretch' and in to the panic or psychological danger zone and some coping strategies ready for if you start to feel overly anxious.

7. GO AT YOUR OWN PACE

Did I mention go at your own pace? It's a really important one!

For professional coaching support to maintain balance as you navigate the social and professional challenges of the world going back to normal don't hesitate to contact me directly at coaching2change@outlook.com