Loving the slower-paced, more relaxed way of life these days? As the restrictions on daily life start to lift and the social distancing guidelines are lessened, do you want to return to the hustle and bustle of daily life before the coronavirus hit? Maybe the coronavirus was the wake-up call that we needed to reevaluate how much we do each day. But how do we avoid reverting to the same kind of craziness we were living just two short months ago? The answer might be easier than you think.
Some things will need to go back to the way they were, such as work and school. We may not have a choice on those things. It’s likely that they will look a little different, but they have to be added back into our lives. But what about everything else…. sports and extracurricular activities, social events, volunteering, committees and clubs. You get the point — the list is endless.
Here’s a great place to start! Take some time to evaluate and prioritize everything by making lists of the things you miss doing and the things you don’t miss. You could even make a list of things that you absolutely will not add back into your life. Now might be the perfect time to do this! Once you determine the things you miss and enjoy, it will be easier to discern the things you accept and the things you decline to allow back on your calendar.
How about things that you realized you weren’t doing….Or were doing wrong when you had too many things on your plate? For instance, did you eat any meals standing up at the kitchen counter or while driving in the car, trying to get to your next appointment? Perhaps the quarantine forced you to prepare meals and sit down at the table to eat them. This might be a welcome change for you, and one that you want to continue with once life returns to a normal pace.
Did it take a global pandemic for you to realize that getting enough sleep makes you feel refreshed and more energetic? This might be another change that you’d like to stick with rather than trying to burn the candle at both ends every night.
After closet clean outs, you may have realized that you don’t need as many things as you thought. We also haven’t been able to randomly shop for as many things as we used to. Do you miss all of those “things”? Probably not.
Finally, you may have realized that it will be OK to say no to every volunteer opportunity, every social gathering, every sporting event, every committee meeting…...you get the idea. Use this time to be present, realize what is important, and make the changes!