No, I’m not done with COVID-19 yet. I can’t be until the
threat is behind us. There’s been more and more talk of transitioning back to
regular activity and I think it’s worth examining further, before it happens.
Not much is yet known about how the transition back to life
as we knew it will go. (Texas is embarking on it today). The outlook and measures vary from country to country,
and even within each country itself in some cases. What I think we can expect
is that our transition back to business-as-usual will be anything but.
From what reports are out there, this will have to happen in
phases and much might be restricted early on. Just like the transition into
safety measures, the transition out of it will bring on multiple changes to acclimate
to. These may sound like they’ll be slow, possibly stretching over a month or
two, but they will probably feel rapid.
These changes will most likely be welcome. The world is
aching for a taste of the norm. Being welcome doesn’t always make changes easy.
Let’s talk about transition and how we can manage our mental health through the
upcoming one.
Consult History on Transition
You won’t find this kind of history in a textbook. I’m
talking about looking at your own history with transition. Because change is a
normal part of life, I feel confident you’ve got some history with it.
Major change, or transition, experiences can tell you what
you need to look out for or set up to be ready for the next couple of months
coming out of this pandemic. Look at what worked. Ask yourself what helped you
through your first major career shift, graduating high school, a divorce (your
own or someone else’s), and so on. Pick out the healthy coping skills you used
and apply them ahead of the change to get into practice.
Look at what didn’t work. If there was a toxic “coping skill”
you used that created more problems than it solved, be sure to avoid it. You
know if you have a certain go-to state or reaction to significant change, so
get ahead of it by being aware and putting coping skills in place to fight against
it.
Whether you’re great with change or absolutely crushed by
it, remember that you got through it. They might have been tough but all the
changes you’ve gone through (from walking and talking to learning to walk with
a cane) have passed. This will pass, too, and you will be on the other side of
it.
Ante Up On Coping Skills
I mention coping skills often and that’s not going to stop
any time soon. In addition to the coping skills you’ll re-implement from your
past that have been healthy and successful, this is a good time to look at the
ones you’ve recently added. Hopefully, you’ve created the chance to focus on
self-care in this difficult time and are emerging with new and improved
self-care.
Don’t let it stop here! Life will pick up again, you’ll be
able to avoid self-care more easily, work will be more demanding, you might
have less time to work it in...but with awareness there is opportunity. Take
this time to look back at your old schedule, figure out what got in the way of
self-care, and reorganize it so self-care is a priority. You’ll need it in the
transition out of COVID-19 lockdown and you’ll need it throughout life because
life is one big transition.
Let Yourself Process
What we’re going through right now, it’s traumatic. Fear and
anxiety abound as we wear masks, consume anti-bacterial items, and reduce trips
out in hopes of avoiding an invisible enemy. All the while, we’re separated
from loved ones and the constants in life that give our lives meaning. Many
have lost someone close to them and not been able to mourn due to limited
numbers at funerals.
Right now, while we’re deep in this, our brains are staying
vigilant and teetering just outside of fight or flight mode, ready to react
when a threat presents. It will stay that way as each of us tries to just make
it out on the other side of this. When we do see progress and life returns to
some semblance of normal, the experience of what happened will need to be
processed. Allow that to happen.
Don’t Rush It
I don’t just mean don’t rush to get in all the things you
haven’t been doing all at once. I also mean don’t rush the healing. Don’t rush
getting your brain back on track with work. Don’t rush back into your old gym
routine. Don’t rush to be you’re very best coming out of some of the very worst
of time.
Be gentle with yourself.
I wish only the best to everyone as we embark on the next
step of this journey together. I hope you are able to do what is best for you.
I hope you can be safe and well.