Isn’t it crazy how our world turned upside down in a matter of days?
In our new COVID-19 reality, is it really possible to stay in control? Suddenly we can’t go to work, school, or to meet friends; we can’t hug each other, go out together and dance, travel, or even go for a walk stress-free – the world as we know it has been put on hold, and it’s a huge struggle.
There’s a reason why controlling as many things in our lives as possible sounds appealing – it brings certainty and safety.
But now our lives are all about uncertainty and seeking safety, and we have questions: Will I get sick? Will I lose my job? How am I going to pay for my bills?
Questions like these are at the top of our worry list. The result? Worldwide fear. And fear is one of the worst enemies of our health and wellbeing – both physical and mental. It takes a huge toll.
When we start living in fear and anxiety – all joy can disappear.
Despite this huge change, humans will prevail and survive. For our own sake, we shouldn’t sit around and wait – Let’s do something!
The first step is acceptance – when we come to terms with our new reality, we can see the way out of the tunnel, and become less rigid to future changes.
We are actively building up our resilience. Through actions such as reading and staying informed, working with coaches and therapists, and journaling to understand our minds and bodies better, we should adapt to our new reality. Not only logistically (wearing masks, social distancing, etc.) but also in terms of our emotions and wellbeing.
Next, we must understand that we can’t control everything, with or without COVID-19.
After all, the timeless sayings “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans” and “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans” are founded in truth. Certain things like the weather, natural disasters, time, and arguably our future are out of our hands.
And yet, some things are under our control – our relationships, how we treat people, how we spend our time, how we stay healthy, our mindset – the list goes on. During these turbulent times, it is more important than ever to focus on the things we can control.
Ready to get started? Here are 7 ways to stay organised in our new reality:
1. Money – save it!
One of the biggest sources of uncertainty is money.
Money is what makes the world go around, after all! We depend on it so much we can’t live without it. Being a member of society comes at a cost – this bill, that grocery list, etc. Today, however, financial stability is under even more threat, with people losing their jobs and savings.
To maintain control in the financial aspect of our lives, at least to a certain extent, start with simple steps like logging your expenses to see where your money is going, then prioritise and optimise.
This can be done in many ways – from fancy computer programmes to logging it in your journal – easy!
Trust me on this, it makes a huge difference to realise that you are spending a thousand pounds on deliveries every month! Puts things into perspective…
2. Set the environment
Your health is in your hands. While we can’t always control genetics, accidents, and viruses, our health is still largely determined by the choices we make every day – what to eat, what to drink, whether to exercise or not, when to sleep, etc.
The hard bit isn’t planning it and controlling it – it’s first grasping the importance and taking the initiative.
Ensuring our wellbeing has never been so important!
You might be thinking “OK, I’ve grasped it, now what do I do?”
Well, health experts and coaches can help of course, but you can also DIY it. The world is full of meal plans, sleep journals, habit trackers, exercise trackers, etc.
All you have to do is find the right solution for you and start using it.
3. Take breaks strategically
One of the biggest consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the decline in the mental health of many people worldwide.
A recent international study showed that 41% of the UK’s mental health is at risk because of the COVID-19 crisis.
The study revealed that one in two people in the UK felt depressed, down, or hopeless about the future as a result of the current coronavirus crisis (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya – Open Evidence, 2020).
While many of us need the support of therapists and other specialists, we can also do a lot by ourselves.
We have to start by managing our emotions and beliefs – we can revise them, we can observe our reactions, our feelings, and how we perceive day-to-day occurrences.
Getting this little window into our emotions is easily done by keeping a diary or journal. Putting thoughts to paper.
Other powerful tools include meditation, and the practice of gratefulness, among many others – much of which can be done through apps currently on the market!
4. Plan ahead
Sounds a bit difficult to be focusing on the future when the present is so overwhelming. However, planning for our own foreseeable future – our days, weeks, careers – is something we can control.
There are millions of tools out there – planners, calendars, apps, software programs, printables, action plans – the list goes on and on. All you have to do is choose and try!
Just remember to not give in to temptations to become a planning freak – allow yourself to surrender to the winds of change sometimes.
You can also devote some of your time to practices such as visualisation and manifestation, which are surprisingly effective in my experience!
5. Family Stuff
Trust me – you have no idea the power that this holds –
Introducing just a bit of quality into the organisation of annoying home tasks can change everything.
Who will clean the house? At what time and how? Who will do the grocery shopping? What to buy? Who will cook, and what will they make?
All of these decisions, as well as the lack of effective solutions to them, lead to more stress in your life.
You don’t need more stress, you need less. Luckily, you are in control. Just use the available resources, or DIY it – like me!
6. Social Life
One of the worst things to come out of this lockdown for me was the inability to meet people.
I am a proud extrovert, and if you’re anything like me, then you know the pain of being disconnected from the very people who bring me energy.
Can these problems be solved? The answer is yes, definitely!
What I made is a social life planner – I made a log of my everyday social contacts, follow-ups, tasks, etc. It worked beautifully for me, my friends, and my family. That’s how I stayed sane while in lockdown at home – feeling like I was in control was my remedy.
7. Be the change
As the saying goes: if life gives you lemons, make lemonade!
Get creative and you might see an opportunity in all this, as well as every future challenge that life brings you.
Take this time to think – maybe you have found inspiration to change your career path – in-home hairstylist anyone?
Or, maybe you’re learning a new language or breaking off a toxic relationship.
Whatever it is – just do it!
When hard times hit, revising life choices and goals to make their achievement more realistic is something that can bring colour back into everyday life.
This is the time, and with all the tools available to help you, why not make use of this these times?
In times of great uncertainty, you have the power to bring the certainty back. Focus on the things you can control instead of ruminating about the things you can’t – that is the best way to stay on top. Accept this as an opportunity to be better prepared for the next time a crisis hits, but fingers crossed it doesn’t!
But then again, are we really ever in control of anything? I’ll let you decide…
So what’s the gist of it all? Get a journal! 😀
I mean, of course, the other tips are also super important, but developing the habit of journaling can be the foundation for the stability and control you crave. Your journal can play an important role in helping you prioritize, plan, and track the control you want.
This is why we’ve created Youbee – to reflect our experiences and to give people a chance to take back control for themselves.
Geri Valova
Geri is the resident planning freak, in love with structures, meals and family plans, schedules, lists, etc.
Her job is to make things happen – she is a serial entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in managing people and processes
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