With most of the country moving to GCQ and several urban areas looking to go into Modified GCQ in a few days, what will the impacts be and how can we respond to this?
You've probably read in the news that the country is slowly beginning to open up, while testing and tracing still aren't at a level that will ensure everyone's safety. While it's normal to worry about your safety or that of your loved ones, there are some practical steps you can take to avoid feeling like you have no control over the upcoming situation.
1. Think about the things you can control, not the things you cannot.
Yes, you won't be able to control who you come in contact with on the street, in a shopping mall, or on public transport, but you can control whether you are wearing a mask and gloves. You can control how often you wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer. You can control whether you should leave the safety of your home or not. Recognizing these things and "owning" these decisions will mentally help you feel in control of your life, rather than being a victim of your circumstances or environment.
When it comes to our readers who are employed, you might feel as though you're forced to go back to work once your place of work opens up. However, you might find that many employers are very understanding when it comes to allowing their staff to work remotely, or perhaps work two days a week from home, rather than being in the office five days a week. Speak to your boss about alternative arrangements. You might be surprised that they're a lot more understanding than you thought. If you ask your boss for alternative work arrangements and they don't end up agreeing to your request then you will know that you at least tried your best to protect yourself - and perhaps it's time to find a new boss.
2. Avoid situations that trigger you, if you can.
Once the economy opens up, avoid situations that trigger a negative emotional reaction in you, if possible. This is by no means easy to do.
The first step in all of this is acquiring a degree of self-awareness about these situations. Do you get anxious when in crowded spaces? Does a specific individual at work or at home cause you to blow up in angry outbursts? Does looking at the declining value of your stocks cause you depression? Spend a bit of time thinking about these things, maybe even write them down with pen and paper or on your tablet or phone. Seeing things spelled out does wonders when doing such an exercise.
The second step here is effectively the previous point in this blog: think about whether you can control certain aspects of the situations that trigger you. Anxious about crowded spaces? Maybe avoid the office cafeteria at peak hour and have lunch with only one or two persons at an earlier or later time. Triggered by a certain individual? See if you can have clear-the-air talks with them so you both know where you stand. If not, maybe avoid them completely, even if just for a few days or weeks. Crashing stock portfolio? Turn a blind eye to it, unless you absolutely need to sell some stocks in the next few days. Tracking the ups and downs of your stocks, just like tracking the value of your home, is irrelevant until you actually decide to sell.
If you are unable to control the exact situation that triggers you, try and change things in the periphery. Can't avoid crowded spaces because of your job? Bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you and use it as frequently as possible. Triggered by a colleague who happens to be your boss? Spend two minutes in a quiet corner to center yourself before going into a meeting with them. And so on.
3. Count your blessings.
Life may be very tough at the moment, but there is and will always be things to be thankful for. In the busy-ness of life, we often tend to forget the things that are going well for us. However, focusing on the positive things going on in your life has been proven to have multiple health benefits, including stress reduction and a boost to the immune system - something that we could all use during this time.
It could be as simple as being thankful for your health, a full stomach, a roof over your head or even for waking up this morning.
Some practical steps to increasing your levels of gratitude are:
Keep a daily gratitude journal. Write down the things you are thankful for everyday, even if they're just bullet points on a piece of paper. You'll be surprised at how much there is to write down. Even better, if you keep this journal for a long time, you can read them back some time later and be reminded of how long you've come since writing your old entries.
Can't find the time to write things down? Think about your blessings, especially at a time when your mind tends to be idle. Develop the habit of thinking about things you're thankful for whenever you're stuck in traffic or lining up at the supermarket or bank.
Write gratitude letters. This could be a letter to God, to a parent, to your pet, to an old teacher you've lost touch with or to someone currently in your life, like your spouse or your best friend. The great thing about gratitude letters is that it's the writing, not the sending, that brings the most benefit. Of course, if you can send the letter to its intended recipient, even better.
Conclusion
Regardless of where you stand in our leaders' handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the upcoming opening up of the economy might be an anxious time for you. However, with the tips outlined in this post, you can take a few steps to feel just a little bit more in control of your life and maybe reduce your anxiety by a few degrees.
Liked this post? Why not check out our previous blog post here.