Are You Concerned About Reentry Into Life Post-COVID?

I think most of us would agree that the last year has been like no other. It’s been a long year that brought so many changes to all of our lives. But, given the large changes, we have all adapted in our own way. Life shifted to more alone time, times of introspection, remote schooling, remote work, no commutes, and so much more.

Life slowed down in many respects although many of us were juggling all new tasks. Zoom took center stage instead of conference room meetings, we started ordering online instead of dashing off the store, instead of dropping our children off at school suddenly we had much more time with our children and were helping with remote schooling. As much as these tasks were new and challenging, we are now looking at reentry, many of us, and are experiencing concern and some anxiety. Please know that you are not alone.

As we start getting back to the activities we once did in our daily life, such as resuming work, shopping, eating out, exercise, many of us feel as though we are emerging from a cocoon. If you are scrutinizing decisions that used to be automatic with a whole new level of reality taking, you are not alone. We know after this year, that decisions we make about the smallest and simplest things can affect our lives, our health, work, and financial wellbeing.

I just got off the phone with my doctor and there is still so much we don’t know. How safe is it to resume daily life without a vaccine? What precautions should we be taking if we have been vaccinated?  And life seems complicated that different states and counties are on different timelines and making different decisions. As life opens back up again many people are encountering complicated feelings and thoughts concerning being around people and life going forward.

How to Manage Reentry Concerns

Many of us realize that COVID-19 has affected our mental health and so with reentry, there are some concerns and anxiety, which is so normal.  It’s important that we be compassionate with ourselves as we restart our lives with balancing the need to socialize and regain some of what we felt we have lost in the past year with the lingering challenges of being in crowded places and potentially risking exposure to the virus. This juncture that we are facing is what experts are calling “reentry anxiety”.

The strategies that help us traverse these new waters need to be a long-term strategy, over months and probably a year or better, Each of us needs to take the time we need to feel comfortable with the process, so it’s important to go at your own pace. Starting with what factors you do have control over is a good starting point:

• Maintain a healthy immune system
• Eat well and as natural as possible
• Be physically active
• Get your 7-8 hours of sleep a night
• Soak up Vitamin D by being outdoors
• Start with a small pod of people, two to three people you know really well for socializing and meet together outside
• Keep your home as germ-free as possible

Enjoy the moments each day and the changes that reentry is bringing into our lives. It is natural to feel hyper-vigilant and a little anxious. The last year has risen our cortisol levels because of the constant fight or flight mode of living that puts us on hyper-alert of our surroundings and choices.

Daily Self-Care for Reentry

Each life has been touched by COVID-19. One in three people knows someone that has died from COVID-19. Hardly anyone without exception knows someone that has had COVID-19.  It is a lot to manage on an ongoing basis, much like being in a war zone. So when you feel anxiety or fear coming on there are some simple things you can do to minimize the effects and ground yourself again:

• Exercise each day, outdoors would be good, that gives you two benefits, exercise and soaking up the sunshine
• Try to stay with a regular bedtime and waking time each day
• Practice mindful breathing–one of my favorites is alternative nasal breathing, it calms you right down
• Practice meditation, deep breathing exercises, and slowing life down so you are mindful of all that you have that is positive in your life
• Crying is a great release and it can help you deal with anger and process grief
• Journal or do a gratitude list each day, a great way in retrospect to look back on the year and give thanks along the way
• Try taking to a compassionate friend, family member, or therapist
• Try a new hobby, try something creative as a release for your tension
• Try a DIY project, trying something you’ve never done before can really take your mind off current worries

The Things We Can Control

Taking a balanced approach to reentry is important. A side benefit to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the lowest rate of flu infections in years due to the hyper-vigilance of our COVID practices. You can still hand-wash, practice social distancing, wear a mask–all of these tasks provide some measure of control in your life and help you reduce your fear and anxiety while giving you the best chance of staying virus-free.

Each of us going forward will evaluate the risk-reward factor in our own personal way. It’s important to have your own limits and boundaries and not feel pressured to conform to others’ choices. What might feel right for one person might not feel right for another.

Most of us will still avoid large group settings indoors, but if live music is what makes life worthwhile for you, an outdoor concert with precautions taken and socially distanced might be what works for you. Many people have been cutting their own hair but want to go back to the gym, others would forgo grocery shopping and pick up curbside but desperately want to have a romantic meal out again. It’s all about choice, mitigating what factors you can, understanding the risks, and then enjoying the rewards.

Please keep Crystal Clear Home in mind for keeping your home as germ-free as possible. Our staff does disinfection cleaning that helps your home stay virus-free. The side benefit of house cleaning is it frees up time for you to do what you truly love in life and that is so important. So give us a call at 707-827-3316 or fill out our FREE ESTIMATE FORM and one of our cleaning specialists will be in touch promptly.