Not New and Not Normal

Last week I woke up and started the day with joy. “Ah, Yes!…Friday!” 

I was totally disappointed to discover it was only Thursday and I had a full plate of things to accomplish before the weekend.

Fatigue? Brain Fog? Anxiety? You thought those were symptoms of “Post COVID-19 Syndrome,” right? 

 

Yes. And no. 

 

Many who have not contracted any form of the coronavirus are actually experiencing those same symptoms.

 

Some relate it to Zoom Fatigue. And yes, Zoom Fatigue is real. Many of us still struggle to remember the day of the week. Others write it off as the “new normal.”

 

So what is going on and how can you combat it? 

 

For over a year we changed the way we live, work, and interact with others. It was a time of uncertainty. It was a time when we stopped vacationing, eating out, and throwing parties. We ate at home, played at home, worked from home. 

 

Some of that was fun. For a while. And while work may have been more productive, it was also more intense. We longed for the long commute when we could listen to the radio or dream of next month’s vacation. Or the commute home where we rehashed that awful meeting in our head and didn’t have to do it in front of our family.

 

We tired of watching ourselves talk on Zoom. We couldn’t read our audience because the only non-verbal clues we were getting were when the family dog dropped in for a pet or a team member got up to switch the clothes from the washer to the dryer. We soon learned to hit the “hide self view” button and to focus only on engaged members of our work team. 

We were certain that once we had the vaccine or once the mask mandates were lifted, we would all be fine. We would quickly adjust to a “new normal.”

 

The “New Normal” grew old quickly and was anything but normal. 

 

So is it fixable? 

 

Here are six steps you can take TODAY to regain your energy, focus, and overall wellbeing:

 

1. Get dressed. Dress for the day right down to your shoes. Don’t don your sweatpants even if you are still working from home. Remember the old adage “dress for success?” That includes your shoes. Trust me on this. You will accomplish more if you get dressed for work. As a writer, I work from home, but I always write more and accomplish more goals when I get “dressed for work” first thing in the morning.

 

2. Keep a physical calendar. Yes, I know you love keeping everything on your phone or digitally elsewhere, but a physical calendar or day planner will help you see your day and week more clearly. It is a visual you can see without charging it every day. That brings us to number three.

 

3. Set limits on your computer time and any other screen time with which you engage. That includes your phone, television, and various electronic devices. Screen time is draining on your eyes and brain. Take brain breaks between computer sessions. 

 

4. Make a plan to eat right and exercise. You don’t need to plan on losing ten pounds or counting calories. Simply plan to eat regular meals at regular times and engage in some sort of physical activity. When I feel tired in the middle of the day, instead of taking a nap, I take a walk. Think you’re hungry? Try drinking a glass of water first. You may simply be thirsty.

 

5. Sleep at night. Let me revise that. Sleep at least eight hours at night. Your body needs it. So does your brain. You may need to train your body to sleep eight hours but if you can do it the reward will last a lifetime.

 

6. Find a cause to support or a service project. Serving others, giving back to the community goes a long way to improve your overall mental and emotional health.

 

So what is your plan? What are you doing to regain control of your life?