Returning to Your ‘Normal Life’ Post-COVID Might Be Harder Than You Think
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
You probably recognize these as the opening lines from the legendary Charles Dickens 1859 historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities. Although the book is from a different era, these lines can also apply to the current situation in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have experienced the worst of times that accompanied it; death of loved ones, loss of jobs, poverty, restrictions on activities, social isolation, and poor mental health. There have been times when things looked so hopeless, and the top question in our minds was, “Will we ever go back to normal after this pandemic?”
Nonetheless, there have also been some of the best of times from this experience including, more family time, more spirituality as people turned to God in the time of need, increased community spirit, focus on holistic wellness, better working habits, and reduced environmental pollution.
With the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more people getting vaccinated every day, we can finally see a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.
Restrictions have been lifted in many regions, and a lot of places and businesses have reopened. It seems like things are finally getting back to normal after the coronavirus.
Since we have been in quarantine for so long, some might find it hard to adjust, and returning to your ‘normal’ life post-COVID might be harder than you think. Here are some reasons why;
- Anxiety
COVID has been here for more than a year now, and in that time, a lot has changed. From the way we work to the way we socialize. However, things have started to change, and for most of us, the next big challenge will be how to cope with the feelings of anxiety about things going back to normal.
Although you might be vaccinated, the fear of COVID doesn’t really go away. You might still live with a sense of dread, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
You worry and feel uncertain about how things will unfold. What if the scientists are wrong and the vaccine isn’t enough protection? What if a worse variant emerges? What if?
It is understandable that you are scared to go back to normal after lock-down and social isolation. It will not be easy returning to your pre-COVID life of commuting to work in crowded buses and trains or traveling by air. Going to other public spaces such as gyms and restaurants could also be challenging.
Seeing other people do normal activities such as hugging, handshakes, and social gatherings could also cause anxiety. Most will probably stick to the nodding and waving they got used to during the pandemic.
Parents might also worry about sending their kids off to school or letting them play with other children. Considering that not everyone has received the COVID vaccine, your anxiety and fear of going back to normal might not be unfounded.
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- You got used to your COVID routine
The brain likes routines, and getting out of one can be challenging. When a situation goes on for as long as the pandemic has, you learn to adapt to the change and create a new normal for yourself. For those working or studying from home, transitioning to your old routine might feel strange.
Your old routine will be like the new normal that you will have to adapt to again. Even though you are excited to finally do things you have not been able to do in the past year, like any other transition, take it slow as you ease yourself back into old/new activities.
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- Interacting with others might be difficult and awkward
Social distancing and isolation in the past year can turn even the most extroverted person into an introvert to some degree.
Even though you probably kept anticipating when we can go back to normal again and life can continue, you might be surprised at how much you aren’t ready for a Post-COVID social life.
Going back to having face-to-face conversations might be difficult. You are used to either talking to people via phone and video calls or through social media.
Social media was already creating a distance between people before, and it is even worse now because one might have become too accustomed to it being the mode of communication and staying connected during quarantine.
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- Developing Stockholm syndrome-like symptoms
You are already vaccinated, and there are no restrictions in most areas. So, why are you still staying at home? Have you become a hermit?
Even though most people are excited about things going back to normal, others aren’t as thrilled. They have developed something similar to Stockholm syndrome – the coronavirus being the captor.
Staying indoors, working from home, practicing personal hygiene, and wearing masks, have become normal.
We have also lived in fear of COVID-19’s impact on our health for over a year, and seeing those that didn’t abide by the rules and regulations get sick has made many resign themselves to this situation and learn to live with it.
Some have even started to like some aspects of the situation, and have made peace with the behaviors they had to adopt during quarantine. For instance, more people prefer remote work over office work now.
Luckily for them, some companies are considering allowing their employees to continue working from home post-COVID, as long as they keep up their performance and productivity.
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- Your favorite spots might not have survived the pandemic
You have probably been looking forward to going on vacation to your favorite beach resort after the pandemic.
As things start returning to normal after COVID, you try to make a reservation and find an empty website saying the resort is closed indefinitely or that it was sold.
Post-COVID, you might not be able to go back to some of your favorite places, such as cafés, bars, clubs, gyms, hair and beauty salons, dance schools, or even some theaters, because many businesses were hit hard by the COVID-19 and couldn’t stay afloat. Hence, as you plan on how to spend your newfound freedom, be ready for some disappointments.
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Bottom Line
You cannot step into the same river twice. A post-COVID world is not the same as the one we left back in March 2020.
A lot has changed in that time, and you cannot expect things to be the same as they were. Even you are not the same person you were back then.
It is natural for you to be hesitant or feel anxious about things going back to normal because you have gotten used to things as they are now.
To adapt to the new normal, you can try to change your mindset about the situation and choose to be grateful that you lived to see this day.
Sadly, many other people did not. With the availability of the COVID vaccine, there is hope that we might beat this virus someday. Although returning to your normal life might be hard, it is an opportunity you should seize and appreciate.
Have you already returned to your pre-COVID life? Are you experiencing any challenges going back to normal life?
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I clicked really fast once I read that opening line and it was only then I realised how topical it is to these times. This is so true. Thank you for sharing!
Even I hadn’t realized it till I started writing this article. I have always loved that line.
Thank you for reading!
Me too! I’ve got it memorized ever since I read it!
Well written… The lines of Charles Dickens is apt in terms of pandemic.
I totally agree! Thank you for reading
You’re welcome.
Adjusting after covid was really hare especially for students and I’m one.
I’m glad we are all getting through with it❤
Lovely post🌹
I can imagine! At least things are looking up now
Things are better now definitely. We are all hoping no other pandemic hits us😩❤
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that things keep getting better 🤗💕
Crossed🤞🏼🤞🏼😂
😂😂😂
I’m not sure my life will ever go back to the way it was after this. It will take a lot of readjusting to forget about viruses and get close to people again.
I really doubt anyone’s life will be the same. It has left us with scars that might stay with us forever.
Beautiful written
Thank you for reading!
Most welcome
Thanks for the thoughtful post. I am loving going to places without masks and distancing and look forward to seeing friends and family, hoping for a minimum of virus talk. Time to move on!
Thank you for reading, Reg! Seems like you have readjusted to your ‘normal life’ quite well. So happy for you that you get to finally see your family and friends.
But I’m afraid virus talk might stick with us even post-pandemic. For instance, it would be so difficult to talk about anything that happened in 2020 without mentioning the virus.
Maybe, like you said, we can try to minimize it so that we can finally put it behind us.
Very well articulated…the after affects of the pandemic will be as difficult to deal with as dealing with the virus itself…..some things will just stay on as will the virus ….anxiety is what is more harming ..
Stay blessed 🙏😇
Yep, I think a lot of people will feel anxious about going out into the world without masks or being too close to other people for a long time before we get used to it again(if we ever).
Thank you for reading Jas! Be blessed too 🙏
🙏🙏
I’ve been bracing myself for post-covid anxiety for a long time and I’m slowly coming to terms with it. My anxiety has taken me on a rollercoaster over the last year, and social interactions feel even harder than they did before. It’s a huge learning curve for me, but I’m eternally grateful to still be here when so many have been lost during this pandemic.
Mary-Ann x
https://thelazychain.com
Thank you so much for checking out my blog, Mary-Ann! Glad to hear that you’ve been preparing yourself for Post-COVID life so you might readjust better than most people.
Thank you again for visiting my blog🙏
Loved this post, so easy to forget we are not alone in this. My life hasn’t changed yet and it’s scary to think of going back to work and being exposed in the world but I’m glad to have had this time to work on myself and my priorities for life!
That’s the dilemma of it. There are negative and positive sides of the pandemic. Maybe we should focus more on the good things that came from it, for example, your growth. Thank you for reading the post and commenting❤
Yeah, it’s been scary for me leaving. Like I have even more anxiety than before when going out. Even driving I’m so scared and just going out to the store. I went to the restaurant/bar when they were open again and many people struggled with adapting to new normal life with mask still in place.
I don’t understand why it’s so hard to return to my normal life before the shut down. I was doing fine and feeling confident. I’m working on getting that back !
I think knowing you aren’t the only one feeling this way can be a bit comforting. We will somehow find a way to get back to our pre-covid lives or start a ‘new normal’ that is better because of all that we have learnt during the pandemic. Thank you for reading the post and commenting❤
Really relateble I just started my own travel blog and then covid hit and I could not travel anymore from my country. No travel planning for me at all 😦
Hi Ponzo, I just found your comment. Sorry it got lost in spam.
Fortunately with things starting to go back to normal you will be able to travel again soon. I checked out your blog, you have amazing posts❤
Very true! With my job I’ve probably been around more people than usual since COVID hit, but I’ll miss wearing the mask. It was kind of nice to be a little anonymous 🙂
😂You probably should continue wearing it. There’s still gonna be other infections you don’t want to catch, e.g colds. The privacy and anonymity is the added bonus.
For me, I am already back to my pre-covid life when it comes to socialising with friends and going back in the office, as well as other aspects of my life. I always felt that I needed that though for my own mental health, so I wanted to get back to that life as quickly as possible. However, I understanf that it has been a long time since pre-covid times and so people will still be cautious when it comes to readjusting back to the old lifestyle. Thanks for sharing!
It seems you were able to resume your pre-covid life smoothly. You were so fortunate. Thank you for reading❤