Coming out of lockdown is great for the mental health of us all because we are such social creatures. But on the same note, I think there are going to be altercations when we adjust to yet another way of living – however gradually. This post isn’t a downer on the lifting of lockdown, because as I say it’ll do us all good in some way. There just needs to be consideration of the emotional tide that could come into play as the weeks and months pan out. What about all the family and friends you haven’t seen for the last year? Whether they are people you want to see, or people you have to see, there will be that same hesitation. The hesitation, however minuscule, of how to approach that person that essentially fills the void of time that you have been apart. How do we socialise?
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It’s a bit like reminding yourself how to swim. You can do it, because you’ve done it before, but how do we connect in the same way? Especially since, however much we want it to be, the world is not the same. In that respect, I do think it would be difficult for us to get back in the swing of things. If we take a step back, it’s hard to imagine going out for a meal with friends and family – let alone going there without second thoughts. I’m finding even when I’m watching television, that I’m wincing when people get too close to each other. If it feels like that through a screen, what is it going to be like in real life? In real life where there are so many people in one space (are you feeling claustrophobic yet?)
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How do we adjust to the change that has happened to us personally throughout the year? We have all been affected by the death and injury caused by Covid, even if it’s the daily case count on the news. But how do we come to terms with the mark that it has left on us all?
I may have led you astray here because I can’t answer that for you. But I think it’s largely a case of giving ourselves respect and space to adjust, slowly and at our own pace, to a world that is so very different. This might have already looked like carefully planning small trips to the shops, just to get used to how it feels and how it then makes you feel. Bit stressful? Okay. That’s okay. We can try again tomorrow and maybe it will be a little bit better.
Business-wise it can be really stressful too. I’m lucky in that being a copywriter, you can do your work pretty much anywhere in any situation. My main worry is how the change in networking style may change. Having a disability makes the travelling aspect of networking surprisingly difficult, so it makes me wonder: what opportunities may I miss out on as a result? I am hoping for a hybrid approach – a mix of online and in-person meetings – so that I still have access to whatever suits me. But for other businesses it can be much more of a struggle, so I think myself very lucky. What a logistical nightmare it must be to abide by the Coronavirus laws whilst maintaining the functionality of your business… And there’s very little certainty as to whether we are going to go into another lockdown, or not.
Here’s a thought to leave you with.
It might seem obvious when I say it but it certainly made me stop and think initially: all the fears and anxieties we had before the pandemic are ongoing, it’s just that the pandemic has become the overhanging priority. Has the pandemic grounded us, in a sense, in that we have a different appreciation for what matters – other than our anxieties?
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