13 Apr Reimagine normal
Are you hunkered down, just waiting for the world to ‘return to normal’?
Do you feel yourself constantly juggling, keeping all the plates spinning? Are you handling new protocols and rules as they are thrown at you, proud that you and your family are treading a now-normal?
Have you adjusted to the daily changes, the news reports, the work requirements?
Do you find yourself thinking of the opportunities and possibilities?
It is OK to be all
By now, many of you may have seen this info-graphic
Credit: Tweeted by @drmonika_langeh
You may actually find yourself cycling in and out of these various phases.
As you adjust to your new work demands, you have set up your home office and now have a green screen, you may move quickly from the fear towards growth zone for your zoom calls.
But juggling your children’s new education requirements may have you learning alongside them.
And then hearing about layoffs, or a call about a friend’s mother in ICU puts you right back in the fear zone.
Or worse, a sick child has you cycling through all these emotions repeatedly, just as you finally feel you have a handle on what is going on, just to have the rug pulled from under you again.
Expect to be cycling through all these repeatedly.
Be compassionate with yourself. Give yourself that precious day to hide beneath the sheets if that is what will make you feel better.
Luis Carneiro
Posted at 03:09h, 21 AprilIf only we had time to laze. We are still expected to work 7.5 hrs days if not longer. But grateful to be employed right now. Only difference is we have to also have to prepare all our meals. And there is no real escape from the monotony. Again healthy person problems.
Karena de Souza
Posted at 11:51h, 21 AprilThanks for the comment back. You are right – FWP (first world problem) or as you so correctly re-framed healthy-person-problem.
But I do think that even in a (ir)regular work day we are finding ourselves cycling between each of these phases.
As we re-adjust the chair we select for our home office stint, or change the location of our bookshelf for better zoom call lighting, or encourage the family to food-prep together, each is seeing us cycling between these phases as we seek a new normal.
For some, laze may actually be getting back under the covers to wait out the end of lockdown. For others, it may be reaching for another cup of tea. And for others, it may be a much-needed walk or jog outdoors if permitted.
‘Laze’ is the need to acknowledge your need to adjust, however brief that period may be.