I’m writing this post at a time when the Government is making plans to ease the lockdown soon, and lift some of the restrictions that are currently in place. So obviously, too many thoughts are going on in my head right now, and I can’t help but think about or imagine what my ‘new normal’ will look like. Will I ever go back to my old routine and life? Do I really want to? Will I do things differently? Have I learnt anything new? Have I changed as a person? Everyone is talking about ‘the new normal’, and everyone will have a different perspective, I’m sure. For me, it’s going to take a while to trust people, to shake hands, to squeeze through groups of people in restaurants, to go to malls and food courts, to travel etc. etc. Social distancing (for me) has been relatively easy, but the un-distancing might prove to be trickier than I imagined.

This pandemic/lockdown has really put me in introspection mode and I may have gone a bit quiet on the blogging front, but trust me, I’ve been writing a lot, making notes, journaling, and doing a lot of stuff in the background. Maybe one day I will publish my thoughts.

Anyway, I digress - I’m actually sat here, wanting to put together my own thoughts on what my new normal might look like and things that I am going to continue to do even after this whole thing is over. I have started to really embrace my slow, lockdown life and there has been a considerable change in my lifestyle - some changes are definitely worth carrying forward. So here goes..

1) Taking conscious care of my mental health: The lockdown, social distancing, daily dose of bad news, and abundance of negativity has made a lot of us really focus on our mental health like never before, right? I have to be honest, I’m a bit more conscious and aware of how I’m feeling these days. I had never really paid so much attention to my mental health before the pandemic. And it’s a nice change that I’m seeing in myself. The lockdown has affected different people differently and I’ve had my struggles as well, needless to say. But there are things that I’ve been doing actively to take care of my mental health, some of which I feel like I’m going to continue to do even when this is all over!

Muting/Limiting WhatsApp messaging - it’s not because I want to actively avoid people and contacts, but more because I want to feel mentally ready to consume content. I remember the early days, seeing all the Corona virus jokes that were floating around on all groups. I would get so stressed seeing them. Some were so insensitive and really not funny. So I started muting a lot of groups. I would check messages as and when I thought I was ready and wouldn’t snap at anyone unnecessarily. And that put me in control and I felt much better.
A lot of the time, I find that whenever I’m stressed, or having a rough day, it most certainly reflects on how I react to messages and interact with people (who may also be going through stuff, and may totally misunderstand what I’m saying. It. happens. a. lot.). There have been so many instances where I’ve felt that I shouldn’t have said something, or I shouldn’t have reacted that way, etc. and one can’t always expect people to understand where you’re coming from. A lot of my WhatsApp groups are muted so I can control when I want to read messages, and this works for me. Again, this is no offense to anyone on my list! It’s basically an ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ kind of a situation. So I’m going to continue to do that.
Limit time spent on social media - The stuff that you see on social media can be so mentally draining, it’s not even funny! I’ve put timers on, which limits my usage and it works for me, so this is something I’ll be continuing post-lockdown as well!
Not to be glued to news channels/sites - There were days when I would keep checking the news channels and websites for updates, unknowingly adding to my stress. So now I prefer to check once in the morning, and once at night before going to bed. Of course, some days I check more often depending on the situation, but I try not to be glued to the TV or the phone.
Doing what I can, and letting go what I cannot - This lockdown has somehow made me take myself and my time and energy a bit more seriously. I have become more realistic in terms of what is achievable and what can be done and I don’t try to do it all. So yes, sometimes the sink is full of dishes, sometimes the laundry baskets are overflowing, sometimes the rooms are messy, sometimes my son has watched TV all afternoon, sometimes he hasn’t done any school work, etc. etc. - there’s no point stressing over everything. You win some, you lose some and that’s totally ok! So I am now wiser and I set my expectations accordingly. Something I’m going to continue to do, for my own sake.

2) Eating healthy and homemade - We only started doing takeaway once a week about 3 weeks back, and I can’t believe we went so many weeks eating homemade food! Who would have thought? But there you go! It is possible, and definitely a healthier way to live! I’m not saying we won’t be eating out or doing takeaways ever, but we will certainly try to limit them as much as possible, because now we know that we can! :)

3) Not skipping workouts - During the lockdown, I have been more regular with my workouts than ever before. I’ve also somehow been more motivated and driven. I don’t know how and why - maybe because that was my ‘me-time’ and I was so desperate not to miss it :D, or maybe I wanted to prove something to myself. Or maybe because the whole world was doing innovative home workouts and I got really inspired! Whatever it is, I hope this streak lasts long after this lockdown ends!

4) Meal planning and limited grocery visits - I am totally on board with the limited grocery visits! It is so much more efficient! Plus, I’ve seen that the more we go, the more we buy, the more we tend to waste, all very unnecessary! So now we plan our weekly meals and our grocery visits such that we have to go only when we run out of milk. Over time, we know how much of everything we need for those 8-10 days. Planning is precise, and wastage is minimal. I mean, I’ve even learnt to freeze bagels, bread, and fruit, and it works perfectly. We cook for the week on a Sunday usually, and some meals are frozen, and consumed through the week as and when needed. This also means we don’t need to cook daily and save on kitchen cleaning time! Of course, I still cook for my son almost daily, but that is much less elaborate compared to our everyday meals. I sure hope we continue to do this because never has the wastage level been so low in our house.

5) Spending more time with family - This goes without saying, but I have really learnt to value our time together as a family. This would never have happened in a normal situation, and I know this time will never come back. So I’m definitely going to make the most of this time and do more family fun things together! The other day, when my 4 year old said to me ‘Mum I actually like corona virus because we can be together as a family’, it really hit me hard. Of course he doesn’t really like corona virus if you know what I mean, and hates that everything is restricted, but it just gave me a little glimpse of what my little boy thinks and feels. This time with our family is so precious and I’m more than grateful for it. I do hope once this passes, that we are able to carry on with our family time and little family traditions we have started.

6) Being more involved with my son’s school work - I cannot put into words how much my respect for teachers has increased. They must have unlimited patience! Home schooling my 4 year old has given me a different perspective, it’s taught me how to teach, and although I’m no where close to how a proper, qualified teacher would teach, I have really tried. Now I have a better understanding of what my son does in school and how he is taught. It is no easy task and I’ve probably gained more grey hair in the past month or so, but I’m happier knowing how and what my son learns in school. I mean, I’ve always known on a general level, but never in so much detail. I applaud the teachers and teaching assistants who work tirelessly, with smiles on their faces to teach our kids all these wonderful things! I know for sure I’m going to be more clued in to his school work and definitely spend more time getting to know what he’s learning. Because now I know what questions to ask. It is fascinating!

7) Really taking my hobbies seriously - In this whole madness, I have found peace in pursuing some of my hobbies - and they have given me a way to be creative, relax and do something for myself. Earlier, I used to paint if and when I had time, but now I’m finding time to paint. And that basically makes all the difference in the world. So going forward, I’m going to make sure I spend some time on my hobbies, learn new things and try to be better at them.

8) Reading more - I must admit, I started reading during the lockdown because I didn’t want to spend hours and hours on my phone, and I suddenly realized how much I enjoyed reading, and how much I’ve missed it! Why did I stop? When did I stop - let’s not get into that, but the point is, I am going to make an effort to pick up a book more often - not just to escape from social media, but because it’s actually something I enjoy doing.

9) Staying connected - Let me just say this - I’m not the best at staying in touch with people. It takes great effort on my part and I’m basically rubbish at it. To some people, it comes naturally. They just pick up the phone and call and talk - I’m not one of them. So I’m making it a point to actively and consciously be more connected. I’ve done more calls and conferences and video calls than ever before! I have re-connected with some really old friends! It is strange and probably not ideal that it has taken a global pandemic for me to realize this, but now that I have, I’m going to make sure I make that extra effort going forward.

10) Being very mindful of ‘needs’ vs ‘wants’- This lockdown has made me understand what I ‘need’ vs what I ‘want’. It has given me a sense of perspective, that I hope I never lose even when the pandemic is over. It’s been a humbling experience in some ways and I’m so grateful that we are fortunate enough to have access to basic, essential things in life. I know for a fact that it has been extremely tough for many people, on many fronts.

2020 is in fact a zero-buying year for me and it’s been 7 months now that I haven’t bought any new non-essential personal items - like clothes, shoes etc (courtesy: last year’s birthday resolution!). This lockdown has made my resolve much stronger. Before buying anything, I ask myself, ‘do I really need this? Is it going to really make a difference to my life?’ Most of the time, I don’t really need that thing. It’s not easy to do at first, because suddenly you notice that every store has some sort of sale going on, but over time, it gets easier. I’m determined to carry on with this plan, and see where it leads me! It may seem like I’m going to lead a very boring life, but actually, I’m pretty certain I’ll embrace it just fine! No, I’m not giving up worldly possessions and I might treat myself once in a while, but I do hope to avoid unnecessary shopping and continue my low-buying journey for as long as it lasts!

Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your comments and thoughts! Have you thought of what your new normal will look like?

The New Normal