Readjusting to our ‘new normal’
Well done everybody! We’ve got through the adjustment to lockdown life, we are now very well acquainted with our bubbles, working in track pants and experiencing Zoom fatigue, and now have the green light to start returning to our ‘safer new normal’ at Level 2.
Let’s remember how it was such a huge adjustment when Jacinda took us to Level 4 all that time ago in March, we were to be confined to our homes with only a supermarket to visit. A scary concept for us all. We have since got creative with baking, board games, and virtual pub quizzes, only socializing with those within our bubble.
7 weeks later, we find ourselves in Level 2 – wahoo! While some of us (we see you, social butterflies) may be very excited about the prospect of getting back out and about, there might also be some anxiousness about reintegrating back into society, also known as ‘reverse culture shock’. This is an experience a person may have when returning from living overseas for some time, and shares parallels with our unique return to society after Covid-19.
I myself have had discussions with people close to me, ‘how am I going to get up early and teach my 5 am class?’, ‘I’ve got to get the bus into the office again’, ‘I feel nervous about being busy again’. These are all completely normal feelings, and it may take a little time to readjust to our old routines with these small changes, socially distancing on the bus, signing into shops, etc. For others, they may want to jump into making plans with loved ones as they might feel like they need to make up for the lost time.
It’s important to reintegrate slowly and may be more advisable to take gradually make these plans over a period of time, avoiding an emotional burnout or feeling overwhelmed at a full-to-bursting social calendar.
Take a look at our video from Paul Rangiwahia here, talking about the unchartered territory that we are trying to navigate with some fantastic tips.