Tips on transitioning to post-pandemic life

Change is coming! Are you READY?

As President Biden achieves his goals to distribute vaccines to all Americans, the reactions can be many. Some are excited, others are angry it hasn’t happened earlier, and some are mostly okay with things the way they currently are. Some of us feel all of the above.

How do we navigate such a seismic change in life? First of all, know that you’ve already done so. Many times over. Think about the major events in your life: graduating high school or college, marriage, divorce, kids, moving to another location, taking on a new job. We often forget how resilient we really are. That’s why it’s helpful to take some time to consider some tips about how to manage this next transition to post-pandemic life-- with ease and grace.

Tip #1: Reflect on how you managed the other major life transitions.

What are the ways in which you did it well?
What are some ways you made it harder for yourself?
What can you do differently this time around?

Tip #2: Set realistic goals.

Photo by Cathryn Lavery, Unsplash

Change often feels overwhelming when we think of all the things that we need to do. Prioritize one or two things that you want to focus on. While we don’t have a choice about what happens to us or around us, we can choose what element we want to focus on.

Tip#3: Build in breaks.

Photo by Matheus Frade on Unsplash

When services start opening up, schedule a massage or a run in your favorite park. Oftentimes if it’s not on the calendar, it won’t happen. In this case, plan for a break on your new schedule or calendar, and rest assured that you will have some downtime. Also, let the change be gradual. Don’t try to do too much.

Tip#4: Let’s do it together.

In modern Western society, we often default to doing things by ourselves. There’s an unreasonable expectation that we have to figure it out all on our own. Reflect: who in your life would you like to call on? Think of one small act that you could get help with. It could simply be asking someone to check up on you daily via text or make a goal to schedule a coffee with a friend. If all else fails, schedule a therapy appointment. There’s a diagnosis called “Adjustment disorder” and it means that the first 3 months of transitioning to a new change can feel downright daunting.

And it’s perfectly normal to reach out for help.