It’s perfectly normal to be feeling pretty fed up right now.
In a strange and unprecedented turn of events, it feels as though the world has somewhat been stopped in it’s tracks over the few months. The global outbreak of the Coronavirus has resulted in major changes to the way we live our lives, day to day.
Millions of people have lost their jobs or been temporarily laid off, and millions more are working from home for the first time, as opposed to in their usual office environment.
At the beginning of ‘lockdown’ or ‘quarantine’ there was a level of excitement to it. Working from home felt like a novelty, and we had big plans for self improvement.
Ah yeah, I’m going to do two gym classes a day and then go for a 5k run. And after that, I’ll come home and whip up a meal that would leave Gordon Ramsey shaking in his boots. I’ll work on learning new skills. Maybe I’ll try my hand at Mandarin? And take up Opera singing? AND, I might finally write my novel. No bother.
The ambition, the plans, the promises we made to ourselves. Dare I say, they were a bit much?
A number of weeks have passed, and by now, most of us are feeling a little fed up. The novelty has well and truly worn off, and we’re missing our former lives. We miss our friends, our family, our colleagues, and even our morning commutes.
We’re all at the stage where we’re feeling less productive, and as a result, a certain level of guilt has started to seep in. Our attention spans are lower than usual, and in general, we’re all feeling a bit fed up. It’s not just you, I promise. We’re all paddling this very strange canoe together right now.
I’m here to remind you that everyone is doing a great job, all things considered. None of us are really capable of working to 100% right now, and it’s important to be patient, with those around you, and with ourselves. We’re juggling a lot at the moment, the uncertainty, the stress, and the general feeling of distraction.
You have to take each day as it comes, and stop putting so much pressure on yourself. The small wins are key to a good week.
This global pandemic does not have to be a time for self improvement, it can simply be a time to power through and do what you can to stay as happy as possible. Slow down, be kind to yourself, and appreciate that you’re only human.
Remind yourself that this is not forever. Eventually, we’ll be able to hug our loved ones again, go out for a pint, and hop on the bus to work in the mornings. We’ll go on holidays again, we’ll dance (badly) in nightclubs, and we’ll eat in restaurants.
And when we are back to normal, life will certainly taste that little bit sweeter.
