Embracing New Habits – Re-calibrating
It has been almost two months now since we started working from home. It wasn’t easy but I managed to learn fast and held my counselling sessions via zoom with the international students we have at the campus. It has been a smooth transition and with a great leadership, we managed to keep going. I sense we are now on a plateau of coping and adjusting in the midst of this global pandemic – lockdown. COVID-19 outbreak has forced us all to reconfigure our lives, and our habits. I have categorized this situation simply as 4 stages of change for myself:
1 – In the beginning, change looked interesting – I got to sleep in much later, there was no need to waste time travelling to work, and I could spend time being more productive and focused.
2 – Weeks later, change became somewhat scary, and I admit I did begin to feel anxious and worry as I think about losing my job, and my income. This fear was shared amongst my colleagues and we already had out salary cut, which was fair to get the business running.
3 – And now, I am getting more used and accepting to what is happening within and around me. There has been more time spent reflecting on what’s important, what needs to be improved and changed, creating a routine that worked for me, finding ways to stay positive, and motivated. I find that after implementing a new daily routine, I begin to settle in better, eating healthier, getting more comfortable now, and preparing for whatever may happen. It helps to keep a positive perspective in mind and also finding ways to improve on my skills for the future that keeps me going. This is what I will define as my new norm.
4 – Lastly, I know I will continue to adjust more fluidly whatever comes my way and I am sure you will too as we have already been doing just that for the past 2-3 months – adapting to the situations.
We have been doing it well and we will continue to do well, to face it, manage it and re-calibrate as often as you and I need to! Do remember that what does NOT change is who we are, our intrinsic, our values, our beliefs and morals. You are still who you are and our new normal is not stripping you of those!
Contributed by:
Ana M. Jeremiah, MAPACS(L1)
