The New Normal: Tips On Coping With Change Due To Covid-19

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Uncertainty is all around us, never more so than today. We know that adjusting to change can be challenging. Be it planned or unplanned, change is inevitable and very much part of being human. The current Covid-19 pandemic has heightened uncertainty, and many of us have suddenly been forced to adjust to the New Normal.

Wearing masks is now the New Normal before leaving the house, the new arrangement to work from home or for some going back to the office in shifts, having to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds frequently throughout the day, or using hand sanitizer. Even though we are in Phase 2 of the circuit breaker, there are still restrictions to ensure that the efforts of Singapore’s eight-week Covid-19 circuit breaker shutdown are sustained.

So how can we ease into this new way of living?
 

Read on for tips to help you adjust to the New Normal.

 

Acknowledge the present & move forward

While we may not wish to acknowledge it, uncertainty is a natural and unavoidable part of life. It is normal to experience distress as you make sense of this change. You’re not alone. We cannot stop the pandemic from unfolding, but we can choose the way we respond to this crisis. Try to shift your focus from what you’ve lost and toward what’s new and take action over the things you can control. 

For example, if you’ve lost your job or income during this difficult time, you still have control over how much energy you put into searching online for work and sending out resumes. By focusing on the aspects of a problem will help you to control and diver your worrying to active problem-solving.

 

Create a new routine & prioritize self-care

Having a routine can help create some sense of norm during the time of chaos, makes us more efficient and create structure in our lives. Prioritize self-care in your new routine to ensure that you have a work-life balance.

There are many self-care activities you can do, for example, aim for a healthy diet, exercise, practice meditate and mindfulness, hang out with your loved ones, do something that you love, and the list goes on. Research shows that self-care helps to keep you healthy, recharge your mind and body, and improve your overall well-being. Start small, start with one thing at a time to make the change easier.

 

Stay connected in new ways

Social distancing does not mean you should disconnect with your friends and family. In the New Normal, you can still connect with family and friends, just in different ways! There are many options where you can connect online like Zoom, FaceTime and Skype. With various activities resume in Phase 2, you can go offline and meet up with your friends and family, but do remember to practice the safe distancing rules while out to have fun!

 

Give yourself a break

Take one thing at a time. One of the most important things you can do is accept that the New Normal should come with a different level of expectations. Set yourself a realistic goal and allow yourself to adjust it when you need to. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others for help, be it about workload or home issues and especially in wellbeing and health matters. Just make sure to reach out to people who are supportive and not those who will increase your stress.

Give yourself space and time to grieve, to celebrate, and to feel every emotion in between, during this challenging time. Be kind and gentle to yourself as we are living in a situation that never happened before (at least in our lifetime), and it is impacting every one of us differently.

 

Virtual Yoga Class: 15th September, 6pm -7pm

To help you cope with the New Normal, we have planned a new series of Virtual Yoga Classes facilitated by Tan Ming Li, the co-founder of Exhale. She will be guiding us on the way to practice yoga and meditate!

Find out more at bit.ly/Yoga15Sep20.