It’s undeniable: traffic is worse these days. The streets are bustling with cars as kids return to school and activities, and adults return to offices and errands, bolstered by increased vaccine availability. Throughout the pandemic, much of the conversation has circled around how and when to “get back to normal.” But after a year of adjusted living, “return to normal” might feel strange and scary instead of comforting and familiar. After more than a year in which we’ve been asked to adapt again and again to a seemingly endless stream of changes, re-adapting to pre-pandemic “normal” can feel overwhelming.
This “re-entry anxiety” might include the stress that comes with going back to work at your office instead of from the comfort of home, waking up earlier for a longer morning commute, or the anxiety of feeling obligated to attend social events and family gatherings again, with concerns about safety. The thought of engaging in these activities may be especially anxiety-provoking with the huge weight of pandemic-related grief and worry on our collective shoulders. Know that these feelings are normal and you’re not the only one feeling this way.
Focus on What Is In Your Control
Often when people feel anxious it’s because they’re feeling a high level of uncertainty, worrying about things that are out of their control, so it can be helpful to remind yourself of what you actually can control about a particularly stressful situation. Start by writing a list of the relevant factors that you have control over. Here are some examples:
Making your vaccine appointment
Maintaining 6-10 feet of distance between yourself and others
Planning to gather outside, wearing masks.
You can also remind yourself of your resilience by thinking back to uncertain times in your past (like when the pandemic first started) and how you made it through to today. Identify the character traits that helped you get through, and realize that you can weather this too!
Make a Post-Pandemic Bucket List
Creating a post-pandemic bucket list is a way to shift your thinking from anxious feelings to the positive experiences that could be waiting for you. This will help foster feelings of hope and optimism.
Your bucket list doesn’t necessarily have to be extravagant or adventurous; it might just include seemingly mundane things like your chiropractic/acupuncture/massage appointments at Equilibrium, and other personal care like haircuts and nail appointments you’ve put off during the pandemic. Once you write down all the simpler things, feel free to dream big about the possibilities that await you such as travelling to visit family and friends, vacations, and live performances.
Accept Your Feelings
Don’t judge yourself for whatever feelings you have. There’s a whole range of emotions and you can have them at the same time. You might be excited to reenter the world, perhaps with new goals and a new perspective on life, while still mourning a loss due to COVID-19. It might be stressful to realize you have those seemingly incongruent emotions, but it’s totally normal and it’s important to let yourself feel everything. You can be excited and scared at the same time, or you may cycle between different emotions. Know that whatever you’re feeling is okay. It’s stressful enough to navigate these transitions — don’t put any added pressure on yourself to feel a certain way.
Go Slow
It might be tempting to say “yes” to every invitation now that opportunities are opening up, but pace yourself. Transforming your social calendar from 0-60 overnight can cause overwhelm, anxiety, and fatigue. Be gentle with reintegrating into society or you’ll risk burning yourself out by over-committing to everything all at once. Here are some strategies:
Set yourself a limit on the number of re-entry activities you say yes to each week/month. This might include day trips to the city, mountains, or coast, and social interactions with friends and family.
Limit the number of people you see at once. Maybe to start with you only see friends one-on-one, or two at a time rather than a large gathering.
Keep activities short. When making plans be clear about the duration of time you’re comfortable spending. you might start with a quick coffee date and later ramp up to longer get-togethers.
Set Digital Boundaries
Set limits on the amount of time you spend each day on social media, consuming news media, or checking work email. This post illuminates the impact of digital time on the way our brains work. If you’re already feeling stressed and anxious, it’s likely too much time doomscrolling will only make it worse. Instead, get outside, take a walk or exercise, or do an analog activity like playing a board game, crafting, or journaling.
Embrace the Changes
You may be coming out of lockdown with your life, your body, your job, your relationship seriously different than when you entered it. The pandemic has brought changes both positive and negative, and we’ll take all of those with us as we continue on. It’s important to re-frame our thinking around this transition. We’re not “going back” to “normal,” we’re moving forward to what comes next.
Talk About It
Be open with those around you about how you’re feeling and what you’re comfortable or not comfortable with right now. You may find that you’re not the only one feeling unsure and nervous. Your loved ones can offer support and reassurance to help you navigate through this change. There are tons of good options for professional help as well. Lines for Life offers 24/7 support lines and can help you find a therapist to meet with in-person or via video chat. There are also digital options that have exploded over the last year like Better Help and Talkspace.
Remember that over time the anxiety that comes with reintegration will lessen. If there’s anything we’ve learned over the last year, it’s that humans are very adaptable! We can weather this change too.