The Lockdown Dilemma
As the world begins to get somewhat normal, is your sense of relief accompanied by an unexpected anxiety – of having to go back to the “pre-covid normal”?
If so, it is totally normal and you are not alone to experience The Lockdown Dilemma.
Firstly, I have some good news for you – as human beings we are highly adaptive and that is precisely why you became comfortable with #iso even while constantly resisting it. Moreover, it is only until we take the first step that we feel the most afraid.
Secondly, this anxiety that you may be experiencing is situational in nature. You may be looking forward to finally being able to visit your parents or your favorite restaurant – that enthusiasm switches to stress and worry for some at the thought of returning to work. Especially for those who may be have been subjected to toxic behavior in their workplace.
You may think the bullying and harassment are less damaging this way, you’d rather suffer in distance than in person. However, that may not be the case. The moments of this building toxicity are no longer fleeting.
Work from home culture has turned face-to-face, intimate conversation into group video calls, email threads cc’d/forwarded to multiple people at once, google doc comments and so on. Which means the scrutiny you experienced previously in private, now has a much larger audience. In addition, under our substituted methods of communication – all our conversations have become omnipresent.
Which means that one bitter comment which you could physically and mentally separate yourself from when work wasn’t from home, is now ever-accessible at anytime, anywhere and for countless re-reads.
While the former deeply affects our sense of self-esteem, the latter creates an opportunity to dwell on that toxic email or comment – over and over, until we completely drain out.
Research has shown that the fear of one’s financial future and job instability have pressurized professionals to over-work, over deliver and out-do their own performance. It has forced them and over the course of lockdown normalized working outside the designated 9 to 5 hours. To the point that it has become an unsaid expectation from many employers around the world.
Furthermore, a collapse of physical boundaries between our place of work and home has forced us to carry the pressures of our professional life into our personal life. This has shown to have grave impacts on our mental wellbeing.
A by-product of these collapsing boundaries and therefore, the mind’s inability to physically and mentally separate itself from the work pressures for most part of the day is evident in our intrapersonal relationships, those with who we share a common roof. Family violence has seen a disturbingly high increase worldwide since the beginning of lockdown, so has intimate partner violence as well as other kinds of in-house abuse.
There has also been a stark increase in the abuse of alcohol and narcotics, use of prescription drugs, sleeping aids etc.
Despite the researches being conducted, behaviors being studied and interventions being put in place - many of these impacts remain hidden, under-reported and/or even go unrecognized.
HOWEVER, IT’S ALRIGHT.
It is okay if the much-anticipated light at the of the tunnel is frightening you. Collectively and individually, what we have experienced is unprecedented.
For the world may be beginning to get normal, it will be a while before it begins to feel normal too. There is absolutely no pressure to match the pace of the external world, that of your friend who is excited to return to work or that colleague who seems to be transitioning with much ease.
Here are 4 steps to help you transition into the ‘new norm’:
1. Remember to be kind to yourself.
It is the most important step to remember through this transition. What you are experiencing is unique, a fairly new focus of research and unprecedented. There are no established solutions, rights and wrongs yet so permit yourself to hit and trial. Be easy on and quick to forgive yourself despite any unsuccessful attempts.
2. There is no rush.
Do not rush this process, allow yourself the time to transition. Indulge in productive mindfulness each day to make sure your mind and body are fuelled to support you through this process. Yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, affirmations, adult colouring books, reading, free writing – whatever sails your boat. Just like machines, our minds need regular and consistent oiling and looking after – especially in times like now.
3. Open the channels of communication at work and with those around you.
Inform Human Resources if you are experiencing any workplace related anxiety. As well as, encourage those around you having similar experiences to do the same.
Wellbeing of each and every employee is one of the most important duties of an employer.
If you are in a position to influence such decisions at your workplace, be mindful of how those could potentially affect others.
4. Plan in advance.
Plan a slow transition, it will help your mind and body to adapt well to this new kind of normal. Perhaps, begin with part time hours and gradually increase to full time hours.
Along with which, encourage mindfulness activities to be a necessary part of a work day routine. Something for the entire employee force to participate in together. This will not only normalize feeling the impacts of this transition on mental health but also sensitize everyone towards them and foster greater support.
Start each day with the thought of doing your best. However, do not attach any indicators or measures for allowing yourself to feel that sense of achievement at the end of each day. Whatever you couldn’t manage to do today, can always be accomplished tomorrow.
Your progress is not measured by the number of tasks you managed to complete in a day, but by the number of days you went to bed feeling good about yourself.
