How to Better Prepare for Return to Life Post-Covid

As most of us gear up to return to life post-Covid, we are forced to face a chilling truth. The world we knew before the pandemic does not exist anymore. Amidst this chaos and uncertainty, there is also anxiety and stress brewing underneath the surface. We were all constantly told to stay away from crowds and maintain physical distance from others for the past year. Some of us struggled with losing loved ones, catching the virus, or living with the loneliness that came with the quarantine.

After a year of constant ‘What next?’, we are left unsure and traumatized from the past year. But others of us also found positives in the pandemic. We focused more on the family and home, we acceptable the importance of mental health, and we finally found time for our long-lost hobbies. We even enjoyed this slower pace of life and the ease of working from home. How do we merge again with our prior public and work-life without giving up on those positives?

But we have to remember that we are not alone in feeling this way. And there are ways that you can prepare yourself better to return to the post-Covid world:

How to Be More Ready for Life After the Pandemic:

1. Set realistic expectations: None of us went into a strict lockdown overnight. It started slow and then gradually became a mask-wearing, standing-6-feet-apart world. So we cannot expect things to go back to the way it was in a single day, either. The truth is that we will be hesitant about stepping into a full office or a crowded train. Don’t be too hard on yourself and set realistic expectations about how you will react to going back into the world again.
2. Make small gradual changes: No one said you have to suddenly go from self-isolating at home to a houseful 4th of July party. Start slow, meet up with a friend or two at a spacious restaurant. Once you are comfortable with that, move up to a luncheon of five. Work your way up to a venue full of strangers, and don’t force yourself into a situation where you feel uncomfortable.
3. Communicate your boundaries: Not all of us deal with changes at the same pace. So it is essential to talk to each other about our boundaries. The pandemic might have been a shared trauma, but all of us experienced and dealt with it in different ways. And the speed at which we recover from it will be different too. There are going to be awkward encounters, even frustrating ones. So we must be patient and communicate about where each of us is in the process. 
4. Don’t give up on the things you enjoyed in lockdown: If you found something you enjoyed during lockdown that helped you get through that time, keep doing it. Whether it is beekeeping, baking sourdough, or sewing, don’t drop it the moment the world opens up again. If it feels good to you, it can be the emotional support you never knew you needed. Your routine will change, so having one common activity that makes you happy will be vital in maintaining some normalcy.
5. Talk about going back to work: If you are not entirely comfortable with the idea of going back to your office full time, talk to your employer about it. If you enjoyed working remotely, see if you can continue doing so. But if you have to be there in person, ask if you can change your schedule so you can avoid the stress of being around the rush-hour crowd. There may be ways to accommodate you better and help you ease into going back to work again. Don’t be afraid to ask!
6. Recognize your privilege and help when you can: Millions of people lost their jobs during the pandemic while the super-rich kept getting richer. The last year has only made wealth inequality more visible. So if you have the privilege of still being financially stable and employed, help others who are struggling. Support your local businesses in these trying times and help them stay afloat. Being a small business ourselves, we at Alta 8 always support other small companies and are grateful to people who have continued loving our arm sleeves.
7. Get help when you need it: Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is ask for help. Talk to others. You both might be struggling with going back into the world. But if the anxiety persists and you feel overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. You don’t have to take on everything alone. Find a support system that works for you.

As we stumble through the world and learn to find our footing in it, we have to remember that all of us are going through this together. So don’t pressure yourself. Instead, take your time and return to life post-Covid at your own pace!