Theme parks have announced reopening dates. Restaurants are enticing us with open-air seating. Barber shops can schedule the grooming your hair so desperately needs. Offices are starting to welcome back employees.
But after three months of physical distancing due to COVID-19, many of us have been left wondering, what do we do now? Where do we go 鈥� literally and figuratively 鈥� from here?
鈥淚t鈥檚 important we balance the need to get back to some kind of normal life and keep the economy healthy with keeping everyone as safe as possible,鈥� says Deborah German, vice president for health affairs and founding dean of the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine. 鈥淐OVID-19 hasn鈥檛 gone away. It鈥檚 still out there so we need to be smart.鈥�
Katherine Daly, a licensed psychologist with more than a decade of counseling experience who serves as the director of Counseling & Wellness Services at the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine, offers some suggestions for navigating life again.
鈥淚t probably would not be healthy to abruptly rush back into our pre-COVID life expecting it to look like the way it did,鈥� says Daly.
In addition to adhering to the CDC鈥檚 recommended guidelines for venturing out in public, which includes wearing a mask and physical distancing, Daly also recommends doing self-assessments of your comfort level.
鈥淚 try to continually assess how does it feel going out?鈥� she says. 鈥淚f it feels stressful, then my world doesn鈥檛 need to be so big right now. My world can include those who make me feel safe and grounded.鈥�
鈥淚 try to continually assess how does it feel going out? If it feels stressful, then my world doesn鈥檛 need to be so big right now.鈥�
She also recommends having open and honest conversations with friends and family members to establish boundaries you feel comfortable with.
鈥淢ake it focused on how you鈥檙e feeling and your vulnerability and what you need,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n my case, I am more cautious because I have some conditions that put me a higher risk. I鈥檝e had friends who are much more comfortable going to restaurants or beaches, and they鈥檒l say to me, 鈥榃e want to let you know what we鈥檙e doing so you can make an informed decision on if you want to see us.鈥� They know it鈥檚 not about being judged. It鈥檚 about people who care about each other feeling safe enough to communicate vulnerability.鈥�
Daly says having a routine can help you regain a sense of control. Prioritizing sleep, nutrition and exercise should remain part of your daily life regardless if you鈥檙e still working remotely or returning to the office.
As more of us start to return to on-site work spaces, she stresses that having realistic expectations about your work routine will help you readjust.
鈥淵ou may be used to rushing in and immediately hit the ground running and have a really productive work day,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut the first week back, you might need to ease in. You鈥檙e going to re-establish setting up your office, what it feels like to interact with your colleagues wearing a mask.
鈥淚 would encourage people not to expect too much of themselves and to allow themselves to readjust and re-establish those work routines so that work does feel safe again, and so people can establish some new boundaries of how to be healthy both mentally and physically in the workplace.鈥�
German emphasizes that staying safe in the era of COVID-19 comes down to dedicating yourself to do five simple things: Wear a mask anytime you leave home. Keep a safe distance between yourself and others. Wash or sanitize your hands frequently. Don鈥檛 touch your face. Stay home when you鈥檙e sick.
鈥淲e all have to do these things,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f only 50 percent of us take these precautions, the virus will continue to spread. We have to approach this as a team sport. By taking precautions, you protect yourself, your family, your friends and your community.鈥�
鈥淲e will re-establish a sense of normalcy 鈥� it鈥檚 what we do as humans,鈥� Daly says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e highly resilient. We鈥檝e seen our ancestors do that through various struggles throughout time whether its war or natural disasters.鈥�
But Daly also says that it鈥檚 important to evaluate some aspects of our former daily lives that might not need to be part of our future.
鈥淭he impact that all of this has had on the environment 鈥� did we need to be in the office every day? Did we need to be driving cars every day? Did we need to be heating and cooling all of those buildings every day?鈥� she says. 鈥淢aybe those aren鈥檛 things we need to rush back to. But there are certainly aspects of human connection that I think all of us are missing that we will probably embrace more dearly after this.鈥�
鈥淪tay calm. Stay grounded. Do your best to stay well.鈥�
Daly says it鈥檚 possible we may experience a year or two of residual stress from this pandemic. One thing that cannot be emphasized enough is protecting your mental health.
She suggests the websites Calm and Headspace for meditation and mindfulness exercises. Therapeutic literature, such as The Relaxation & Stress Workbook, can also be helpful.
For faculty and staff at 麻豆原创, she encourages them to take advantage of the , which offers counseling sessions for free.
鈥淪tay calm. Stay grounded. Do your best to stay well,鈥� Daly says.
