HEALTH

Too Many Pandemic Instructions Caused You to Tune Out?

Full self-disclosure:

There are so many people in my profession writing, talking, and podcasting about what to do for your best self care that I’ve had to take a break from reading and listening. It gets challenging to pay attention. Consequently, as we enter another phase of pandemic warnings and advice, I understand if you’re experiencing “what to do” overload.

For many, if not most, long-term confusion reigns. Reality: we have not experienced this kind of a crisis in health and well-being – locally, around the country, and around the world – in our lifetimes. And even as we see attempts to return to and redefine some kind of normal, when honest, confusion dominates the minds of most.

Therefore, I have only general and simple reflections. Try what feels comfortable and useful. Disregard things that annoy you but perhaps pay attention to the “why?”

Primarily, perhaps simplistically, go slowly as often as you can. If you’re a gregarious, outgoing, highly active person, the suggestion probably won’t set well and I suggest: try it anyway. Experiment. Test the idea.

Going slowly simply allows time for your brain, your good judgment, and your ability to weigh positives and negatives to click in. That’s what, ultimately, works best for most of us. Our first thought of “what to do” is typically determined by a protective “stress alert” from our minds and bodies and, much of the time, heads us in the wrong direction.

A good and truly simple start: 1) Identify a list of things to do that help you relax and reflect; and 2) a list of things that are fun, active, and fulfilling. Then evaluate each idea in terms of your environment, and the information you have about what will keep you safe and healthy.

Remember what other people do or don’t do does not necessarily apply to you. Reflect and discuss with family, close friends, and coworkers when you are in doubt. And, remember, many authorities hesitate when it comes to making blanket recommendations. As I read what organization leaders and consultants say about work, there

is significant hesitancy to say what is best. I speak with enough people to hear a wide variety in what the work world is going to look like – from a return to full time in person, to remaining full time remote, to everything in between. That means leaders, in general, are weighing options, considering all possible sources of information, conducting surveys, and, hopefully, making choices that work for everyone, both for individual well being and a successful, profitable organization. In other words, very few leaders are saying they confidently know what is best.

Leadership differences and a wide variety of decisions and recommendations also vary depending on what part of the state or country you live in. Confusing! It would be a relief to get consistent, reliable information, but change is constant. That makes it important for you to read, discuss, and contemplate … and, again, go slowly when making decisions that can potentially impact your health and the health of your family, friends, and coworkers.

Reflect on what a “new normal” means to you. It’s a term frequently tossed around – a catch phrase to honestly indicate most of us don’t know what it means to emerge slowly and intelligently from this health risk across our country. One thing to acknowledge is figuring it out, slowly and thoughtfully, will benefit each of us.

Resist diving back into life in exactly the way you once did. It’s tempting; however, take time to reflect on the things/ activities you choose as you navigate what the new normal looks and feels like. Establish priorities, eliminate things that put you at risk, and plan carefully for the things you love and enjoy. The more extroverted/outgoing you are, the more challenging this suggestion is. If the extrovert label fits you, as it does for about 75 percent of the population, you are energized and recharged by the activities and the human interactions you have historically engaged in. So going slowly can feel fatiguing, as well as irritating. It’s about measured decision-making versus doing what you usually do.

Introverts will find this “slowing down” easier, simply because, for them, extra time to process and make decisions feels more comfortable. And, fewer activities can feel better, as well. Navigating those differences in couples, in families, and with colleagues can be quite challenging. A perhaps obvious point: things that were challenging a year and a half ago are more challenging today.

Here’s one window into a social change in the way we do things. A recent invitation to a gathering had a detailed attachment with the following information: The number and names of people attending; confirmation that all attending were vaccinated; a request to bring and wear a mask while inside unless eating and drinking; and the comfort to remove the mask while outside; and, finally, the availability of masks from the hosts in case you forgot to bring one. Certainly, not your typical invitation … but welcome. It’s an example of how many are changing both behavior and the process for decision-making. I suggest keeping that difference in the foreground, at least for now.

Read, reflect on medical and scientific data – and avoid the political discussions – and bottom line: write about what you feel, talk about what you feel. Getting thoughts out of your head on paper or in a conversation reduces stress. Talk to friends, family, coworkers, a therapist, or any person you hold in high regard for being thoughtful and insightful. Reflect on the people who are good for you to be around.

And, in closing, pay attention. Our midwestern states are once again at high risk. Maintain a sense of balance as often as you can, and please don’t hesitate to tell someone you trust that you are confused, conflicted, perhaps angry, and even struggling to hang in there. Things will get better when we all head in the right direction together.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Linda Moore has been in practice in the Kansas City area for over 25 years and is a published author on personal and family issues.