According to YouGov, almost 9 in 10 employees are concerned about the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic could have on employees mental health.
No 10 Downing Street has announced that restaurants, cinemas and pubs can reopen as of the 4th July with measures put in place. This news may come as a quick sigh of relief for those worried about the economy and may incite fear in others.
Maybe if you are a business owner you might be relieved at the prospect, if you are however reading the latest reports from scientists around a potential second wave the idea of going back to normal could feel simply quite terrifying.
Here are some ways to enable you to adjust whilst managing your anxiety.
Get clear about what you are afraid of:
This may sound trivial however some of us aren’t even aware of what we are afraid of. Is your anxiety stemming from catching the virus, is it from other people not following the guidelines?
Perhaps you are actually anxious about connecting with people and feeling awkward socially as you don’t feel you have anything to talk about. Whatever it is, get really clear about it. Perhaps it is multiple things, losing your job or your child settling in at school.
What can you do about it?
Following on from step one, once you are clear what you are afraid of work out what you can actually do about it. This could look like having a conversation ahead of a BBQ to discuss the logistics to ensure social distancing is respected or maybe keeping up to date on what the latest advice is to minimise the risk of infection.
If the situation is out of your control that you are worried about, try to focus on what you can control and let go of the rest. Lets say you are nervous about a potential crash in the economy, holding on to worry about it will wear you down no matter how likely it is to happen. Work out what your role is in this and do your best to let it go. I am also aware this is often easier said than done!
Embrace it!
Funny as it might sound, anxiety isn’t bad for you. If we can all learn to sit with anxiety we will build resilience. Think of it as a muscle the more you use it the more you can withstand which means when big things come along you are better equipped to handle them.
Work out how anxious you are feeling on a scale of 1 - 10. If you are “no 10 I have reached my full capacity and am completely overwhelmed”, now is the time to spend on yourself and get some support.
If you are at a 3 or 4 way up the risks and push yourself out of your comfort zone. That might look like a picnic in the park or trying out a social distanced drink at the pub.
Focus on you:
Forget what others are doing and only focus on yourself. Everyone is interpreting the guidelines differently and what might work for one may not work for another.
Maybe your friend is throwing garden parties every weekend but you are nervous about going back to the office one day a week. Work on what you need.
Some people are now following the updated 1-metre rule and others still prefer to keep the 2metres.
Work out what suits you best and stick to your guns.
The key thing here to remember is to take care of yourself and go as far that is right for you.
We are in unprecedented times and so going at your own pace and pushing yourself at your own speed is what is right for all of us right now.
If you are struggling to adjust and would like some support online whilst you navigate the complexities over the next few months get in touch at zoe@thetreeoflifecoaching.com.