As the vaccination process ramps up, people are beginning to see the “light at the end of the tunnel” for the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, many are not relishing the idea of going back to “normal” once COVID-19 fades into the background.
Does this apply to you?
For the last year, you were able to work from home and feel some level of protection and stability. Although some considered having to be at home all the time constraining, you thrived.
You were always the type of person who preferred to keep to themselves and didn’t enjoy social situations. But now the thought of returning to work and engaging in social situations causes anxiety.
Here’s what you can do about it as we once again face another transition.
Accept That It’s Going to Happen
First, it helps to accept and even embrace the idea that once the pandemic recedes, we will be returning to many in-person activities. For example:
- Sporting events.
- Concerts, plays, movies, and live entertainment.
- MeetingsDining out at restaurants.
- Children’s activities, camp programs, etc.
- In-person learning whether it’s for children or adults.
Try visualizing what life is going to look like post-pandemic. How do you fit into that vision? If your first thought is “Not at all!” give it a second go. Make the effort to envision what this world will look like for you.
Start Practicing!
Now is the time to start practicing in-person interactions. If you just jumped in by attending a big party once the pandemic is over, the experience could be too overwhelming for you. Instead, start small with more one-on-one experiences. For instance, you and a friend get together in person for a walk.
You can still maintain appropriate distances from one another and use precautions. The real objective is to become more comfortable spending time with another person in real-time. You still have those social skills, they just need to be dusted off.
Post-COVID Anxiety and Returning to Work
A big issue for many people will be returning to work once the pandemic is over. This is important because so much of our waking hours are spent at the workplace. But for more than a year, you may have been able to take advantage of working remotely. If you’re the socially anxious type, then this has been a pretty great experience for you. If you are deeply concerned about virus exposure, working at home may have been a great relief.
Still, now is the time to start preparing for what work will look like for you and your organization. For example:
- Review information from your company about their return-to-work timelines. Stay flexible as these may change as the pandemic evolves.
- Discuss with your supervisor what your options are for returning to work. Will the company require everyone to be present on-site five days a week? Or, will there be the option to work a few days per week from home?
- Accept that your company will most likely desire that everyone be in the office a certain number of days a week. This can be helpful for companywide or department meetings, conferring with your supervisor, or accessing equipment that you can’t use at home.
The big thing to keep in mind is to be flexible and acknowledge that, at some point, your work situation will change.
Coping with the Unknown
It may be that the source of your anxiety isn’t necessarily the details of returning to “normal.” Rather, it’s the unknown. There are so many “what-ifs” right now. They make it very difficult to create a firm plan or roadmap. This is where counseling can really be helpful.
Uncertainty and those what-ifs often play a big role in anxiety. A therapist will be able to help you work through this uncertainty and even embrace it!
In 2020, our lives changed very quickly as we began to face the COVID-19 crisis. It makes sense then that things will change again as the pandemic wanes and we return to more in-person activities. Planning ahead, practicing, and accepting change will help ease your anxiety. However, therapy can be useful too. Find out today how anxiety counseling will help.
