The Return: Life After the Pandemic

It has been over a year since life as we knew it changed. Oddly, this past year went by quickly despite everyday feeling like Groundhog Day. The days were pretty much the same every day. Wake up and get dressed from the waist up. Log on to work. For those with children, get them logged on the computer for school. Finish the work and school day and enjoy leisure time. Eventually go to bed and do it all over the next day. Grocery trips and Facetiming with friends and family help break up the monotony.

 

One of the characteristics of humans that make us supreme is our ability to adapt to change. While we adjusted to the pandemic normal, there are some trends that will continue and others that will need to be removed to ensure a quality life. There will not be a 100% return to life as it was pre-pandemic and life will not 100% continue as it is currently. This is regarding work and social activities. Ideally in life, we do not want to be on any end of any spectrum. That would be extreme and all or nothing.

 

The effects of this pandemic on mental health are becoming more evident over time. Several surveys, including those collected by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), have shown substantial increases in self-reported behavioral health symptoms. According to one CDC report, which surveyed adults across the U.S. in late June of 2020, 31% of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, 13% reported having started or increased substance use, 26% reported stress-related symptoms, and 11% reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past 30 days. These numbers are nearly double the rates we would have expected before the pandemic. This data is from early in the pandemic.

 

The effects of the pandemic on mental health will last well beyond the pandemic. Some of the pandemic’s new norms are listed below and we will discuss if we can keep it as is, remove it, or create a hybrid.

 

• Working from home. Many people were given the opportunity to work from home during this pandemic. There are many benefits that come with working from home or remotely including convenience, little to no commute, and flexibility. Various studies have also shown that productivity is not affected and actually increases with working from home. Here’s the concern, working from home is very isolating. It is nice to be able to chat with coworkers, have camaraderie amongst colleagues, and receive hands on support. Working remotely can diminish this. It appears the biggest disadvantage of working remotely is not being able to form coworking relationships and feeling disconnected, which can affect job satisfaction. Another unhelpful attribute of working remotely is not having a clear indicator to stop working, which could lead to overworking. Because your workplace is your living space, there is no clear delineation of work and home. So, what’s the verdict…hybrid. If hybrid was not an option, then remove it. Working 100% remotely is not ideal for the long haul.

 

• Being sedentary. I have heard many stories about people packing on the Pandemic 40 (lbs). It was really easy to do. With everything shut down, including gyms and some parks, it made it that much easier to do nothing. This is on top of the fact that our lives were changed in an instant and exercising was probably not the first thing people thought to do. Working from home and being shut in from activities created a habit of sitting all day and only moving 10 feet at a time a couple of times during the workday. Some of the social activities and outings we normally do were unable to happen such as walking around a mall or shopping center, going dancing with friends at a club, and playing recreational team sports. Also, the walk from the parking lot at your job to the building door counted as movement and it was not able to happen. The pandemic removed natural opportunities for movement we would normally get. So, what’s the verdict…remove it. That was a no brainer. Remove being sedentary. Our physical and mental health needs exercise and movement. It is most healthy to have an active lifestyle for overall health and wellbeing. Exercise can be a mood lifter as well and an effective way to relieve stress and improve sleep. If you have not returned to exercise and getting daily movement, this is your nudge to do so. Your body and mind will thank you kindly.

 

• Isolating from others. Sure, we had to. Isolating was needed during the pandemic and is definitely not meant to be a long-term fix. We can go ahead and give the verdict now…remove it. Isolating from others is not a behavior we want to continue post-pandemic. The effects of isolating include loneliness, sadness, and feeling disconnected from others. Humans need and crave companionship and connection. Isolating creates the exact opposite. Once you deem it safe, connect with family and friends and embrace hugs and human touch. If you have no desire to connect with others and you do not, especially if this is opposite of you pre-pandemic, then seeking support would be helpful.

 

• Seeking therapy. My colleagues and I have seen an influx of clients during the pandemic. This can be interpreted a couple of ways. It is great that people are tending to their mental and emotional health and reached out for help. Also, this shows how difficult the pandemic has been for people and has negatively affected their wellbeing. Another thought to consider is many of the individuals seeking therapy needed therapy prior to the pandemic, however, the pandemic made their existing pain and symptoms feel unbearable. Whatever mental and emotional challenges an individual was facing pre-pandemic, were heightened by the pandemic. So, what’s the verdict…keep it. Continue seeking therapy as needed. Let the pandemic also serve as a parable to not wait to get treatment. Life does not have to feel like rock bottom before getting help.

 

• Showing grace and compassion. If you have been on a Zoom call and had a child pop up, it is a humous reminder that we are human and have lives outside of work. The person with the kid is mortified, but everyone else is laughing and telling the parent to relax because it was no big deal. Sometimes a quick conversation about the child ensues and an opportunity to connect with a colleague happens. Working from home removes the sterility of a work environment, especially when kids are home as well. We were encouraged to tend to a whinny toddler, forgiven for a poor internet connection, and given grace and compassion when we were just too emotionally drained to show up. The verdict…keep it. Showing grace and compassion towards one another is definitely a keeper.

 

There we have it. A few pandemic norms and whether we need to carry them into post pandemic life. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of norms. We’d love to hear your thoughts about pandemic norms and which you plan to keep, delete, or hybrid. Also, if you need support, we encourage you to seek a licensed therapist that can help.

 

The content on this website is not intended to diagnose or treat, it is for informational purposes only. Please call our office at 404-618-1040 for an appointment or contact a mental health professional in your local area if you are seeking treatment.