At the start of 2020 I could never have imagined that, only 6 months into the year, I would be writing a post about surviving the effects of a world-wide lockdown. When I think back to how life ‘used to be’, I find it quite unbelievable that we were all going about our lives so uninhibitedly. I don’t know about you, but I’m expecting my own life to be a lot different going forward.
To be honest, I don’t even want to go back to how things were before the pandemic. And, with the right mental and physical health ‘kit’, I’m sure we can all navigate our own versions of ‘new normal’ in a way that feels comfortable. We all have to decide what that means to us, so have a think about what you’ll be happy to do in the future and put measures in place to make that happen.
Here are some of my essentials for ‘new normal’ that I’m going to be continuing using for the time being:
FACE MASKS
The guidelines about the wearing of face masks on public transport or in shops seem to change on a daily basis but, at some point, you’ll probably be faced with a situation that requires you to wear a face mask. Whether that’s going to the cinema or theatre in the future (who knows?) or working in a busy office (again, who knows?).
If you’re already prepared for this kind of situation, that’s one less thing to worry about. There are so many face masks available out there, including colourful, patterned fabric masks handmade by crafters. In preparation for post-lockdown life, I’ve got few packs of washable nanofibre filter masks by Air Queen. I’ve found these masks to be more comfortable and breathable than regular 3-ply or fabric masks and they are only £2.50 per mask, so they suit my thrifty budget too.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
But it’s not all about physical health. The lockdown has certainly had an effect on our mental health too, and that could manifest in a number of ways. Perhaps you’ve been itching to get out and couldn’t stand being stuck indoors during lockdown? Or maybe you don’t like the thought of going back outside now that the restrictions have been eased? Either way – or even if you’re somewhere in the middle – now is the time to tackle your mental health and ensure you are feeling mentally strong and supported.
While you might not have considered it before, you could think about speaking to an online counselor to better understand yourself and feel able to cope with life after lockdown. The advice section of licensed counseling website BetterHelp discusses what issues psychologists are able to help with including anxiety, trauma, depression, and any OCD behaviours you might have been using to cope.
Cognitive behavioural therapy can be hugely beneficial when you’re trying to adapt to new situations, as can simply speaking about your feelings, concerns or experiences. You can read up on the topics to educate yourself and make sure you’ve got some support in place (either a friend, family member or professional therapist) for when you begin your journey into ‘new normal’.
CLEANING KIT
I’ve just mentioned OCD but really, keeping yourself and your environment clean needn’t be an obsessive issue. You may have already been washing your hands more, so there’s no reason not to keep that up. If you’re going outside more and it would make you feel better, there’s no reason why you can’t keep a bottle of hand sanitiser with you.
It makes complete sense to clean the hard surfaces in your home too, as these can harbor all kinds germs, not just the virus we’re facing at the moment. That can mean an abundance of plastic bottles and an increase in chemicals in your home from the cleaning products you use. I’ve decided to ditch the plastic and am using Squeeky cleaners instead.
I’ve been gifted this multi-purpose cleaner kit that is powerful enough to kill over 99.9% of all germs and viruses, yet the formula is 100% natural and organic. They say the product will “kill Covid-19 by destabilizing their lipid membranes, which then exposes the inner contents making the virus non-functional.” The reusable bottle is made from aluminium and it can be refilled again and again from concentrates – this mini bottle contains two whole refills. I like the fact that the formula is plant- and mineral-based so it doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals, making it pet-safe and eco-friendly.
While this list is personal to me, I hope it’s give you some ideas of what you might need to introduce into your life in readiness for ‘new normal’. What else would you add to this list of ‘post-pandemic’ essentials? Let me know what you think will be important for life going forward in the comments below.
PIN IT FOR LATER
Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
