Summer is in full swing at this point! And with COVID restrictions lifting across the country, many people are excited to get together with friends and family for Independence Day parties, beach days, and backyard cookouts. Plus, many employees are returning to in-person work. But after so much time spent keeping to ourselves for our own health and that of others, it's natural to need some time to readjust to a packed schedule. Below are some recommendations on how to ease into post-COVID life.
We might be most familiar with needing physical rest, such as after a hard workout or needing a good night's sleep, or mental rest like when you're tired of thinking after a busy day of work. But did you know there are actually 7 types of rest we need? Especially as we start spending time around more and more people, you might need more social or sensory rest. This idea was popularized by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, which you can learn more about in her popular TED talk. Then you can take this quiz to learn what type(s) of rest you need most right now. Read More.
Dr. Soo Jeong Youn, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital, offers a few suggestions of how to ease back in to seeing more people again:
Start slow: Gradually work up to meeting with larger groups, starting with one on ones. Follow all COVID safety protocols like distancing and wearing masks, but begin interacting with people at a pace that is right for you to help lessen anxiety.
Know and maintain boundaries: Friends and family may have different comfort levels with different activities than you may have. In these cases, it is important to know your boundaries and clearly communicate them. These boundaries may shift depending on the situation and relationship, but the hope is that you are with people who will understand and come to an agreement on safety. Read More.
Along with clearly communicating your comfort levels for socializing and slowly building up to meeting with larger groups, making a list of things you are excited to get back to can help. "Writing things down can help reframe uncertainty as excitement, and help you focus on what you're looking forward to instead of stress and anxiety. This might also be the time where you reflect on things you don't miss or things that you started during the last year that you want to continue." Read More.
If you do choose to host or attend a 4th of July party this weekend, look at is as an opportunity to give back as well! If you're running in our Coast-2-Coast for Breast Cancer fundraiser, this can be a great chance to fundraise or ask family and friends to pledge money for your logged miles. Here are some ideas of how you can use the holiday weekend to fundraise.
