While the stress of constant change and minimal ability to
plan the future has been a major part of the pandemic, not everyone’s worse for
it. For some, the pandemic has offered some unique opportunities for improved
mental health.
Decreased Social Pressure
For those who find it difficult to say no to every outing or
favor, reduced social contact may have helped lower stress. Whether it’s that
you’re not getting as many requests or you’re more comfortable with saying “no”
now that you have a “good excuse,” the resulting rest and peace of mind you’re receiving
from fewer social obligations is actually improving your mental health.
Less Running Around
While many felt the cabin fever, others felt the freedom of
simply getting to be home. You may be driving less due to working from home,
searching the stores for unnecessary items to buy, or not having to tote the
kids back and forth to practice. With less open, and potentially even less safe
to partake in, you might find that you’re on the road less and have more time
in the day.
Pollution Reduction
This isn’t just the global reduction in pollution I’m
talking about—which is certainly good for physical and mental health. I’m also
talking about the pollution that can come from toxins from mold to cleaning
products that you might find more of in stores and office buildings than in the
more controlled environment of the homestead. Intense florescent lighting and
increased wires and electrical waves can also be a drain on mind and body.
Working from home and going to stores only when absolutely necessary may be
benefitting you by more than just reducing your chances of getting COVID-19.
More Time
As suggested above, without having as many opportunities to
fill your days to brim with outings and errands, you may find yourself with
extra time. Extra time opens up many possibilities including extra time for
housework, to devote to self-care, to tend to your unfinished projects, and to
spend with your children. While this can get out of hand quickly and become
overwhelming, the people who are looking for that little bit of extra time are
finding success through use of it.
Learning Something New
Early on in the pandemic, people dove headfirst into baking
and other homemaking projects. Learning something new didn’t end with recipes
and home improvement, however. Just about everyone has had to learn a new way
of life through this pandemic and, even if you found it stressful, it has
challenged you to becoming more aware, seeing your environment differently, and
learning some new tactics for daily living. Learning, as I’ve talked about
before, keeps the mind active and protected.
While I know it is not all a silver lining, this is
something we’re in for a while longer. Some people have thrived because the way
the world worked before wasn’t working for them. I hope that if you’re one of
those people you take the lessons learned from this and continue to do what
works for your going forward. If you have been doing more self-care, don’t let
it stop when the pandemic is over. If you have been aware of your surroundings
more than ever, don’t stop being mindful when the pandemic is over. If you got
something out of this, don’t let it go.
The world is full of negative experiences and this is a big
one. However, if you get something good out of it, hold onto that. You were
meant to have it.