Pandemic Fatigue Doesn’t Have to Be Painful

At a time of the year when we should be looking forward to a little R&R around the pool, many of us are still plagued by what’s come to be known as pandemic fatigue. We’re not sick, we’re not tired – we’re just sick and tired of being locked up during lockdown. 

The uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring, the shifting sands of lockdown level … whatever, the lack of a coherent way forward and the complete inability to plan further than tomorrow’s dinner has put most of us in a permanent state of exhaustion. 

One article comments on this saying, “COVID-19 fatigue is like being in a prolonged state of fight or flight. This can cause a stress-like reaction, which eventually leads to behavioural fatigue.”

While the purpose of this article is certainly not to make you feel any worse about the current situation, we would like to offer some useful insight based on the very real issues that we are facing.

Send Pandemic Fatigue Packing

Caring for your physical health

One meme which was recently doing the rounds said that we’d come out of lockdown as a monk, a hunk, a chunk, or a drunk. 

We may laugh about this, but the effect of pandemic fatigue on our physical health has been a major issue. Gyms and other health facilities have been closed for most of the year which has thrown off even the most dedicated of fitness fanatics. This, along with the closure of schools and various public spaces has meant that most of us – including our children – have spent most of the year on the couch. 

The World Health Organisation launched a #HealthyAtHome initiative to encourage people to stay active during extended periods of lockdown. 

They say, “Regular physical activity benefits both the body and mind. It can reduce high blood pressure, help manage weight and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and various cancers – all conditions that can increase susceptibility to COVID-19.

“It also improves bone and muscle strength and increases balance, flexibility and fitness. For older people, activities that improve balance help to prevent falls and injuries.

“Regular physical activity can help give our days a routine and be a way to stay in contact with family and friends. It’s also good for our mental health – reducing the risk of depression, cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia – and improve overall feelings.”

Being at home doesn’t automatically equal a sedentary lifestyle and as pointed out, as we can use regular scheduled activities to give our days a certain structure. A good internet connection and a little space in the living room will open the door to a host of online exercise options if we’re stuck for ideas.

Caring for your mental health

WHO makes another comment on mental health during this pandemic. 

“Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones. Many people may be facing increased levels of alcohol and drug use, insomnia, and anxiety.”

With the holidays coming up, what can we do to combat these feelings of anxiety, sadness, or depression? 

The following are self-care tips curated from several reliable sources which may help us to cope with the uncertainty of the weeks and months to come:

• Get enough sleep. Ongoing sleep debt can rob us of our happy hormones, allow us to make questionable decisions, and start us on a journey of depression and increased anxiety.
• Don’t isolate yourself. Yes, we know that we are already in various stages of isolation but make an effort to contact friends and relatives who you would normally see over the holiday period via a Zoom call.
• No doubt we are all a lot more familiar with video conferencing than we were at the beginning of 2020. So, take some time to schedule group or family calls which will allow you to feel connected to your loved ones and allow you to share both your worries and your wins.

• Take some time out for yourself. Working from home has blurred the lines between home and office life and many of us are in permanent work mode. Others are trying to clean a perpetually messy office house so that our next video conference doesn’t allow our colleagues to spot the spaghetti on the wall behind us.
• Take a few minutes every day to regroup. Meditate, rest your mind, take a long and uninterrupted bath – whatever you need to maintain a level of calm and care for your mental and emotional health.

• Join support groups. Online support groups have flourished during 2020 with so many people needing to talk to likeminded people, or those with similar challenges. It’s our nature as humans to reach out to others during stressful times, so scour Facebook or chat with your peers to find online support.
• Do something nice for someone else. It’s a proven fact that showing kindness to others boosts our own positive hormone levels. So, if you can, look out for those who may be lonely or struggling with their own circumstances and reach out to them. 
• Control what you can. We have very little sway over what others choose to do but there’s no point in stressing ourselves out about it. 

Understanding what’s within our control and managing this to our benefit tends to offer a sense of calm which we all need a big dose of right now, you’ll agree.

Caring for your business

Our pandemic fatigue will almost certainly spill over into our business, especially if we’re small home-based businesses and we are the first and last stop. 

Some of these above tips, besides being focused on self-care, personal mental and physical health, can apply to our business. 

How so?

• Join support groups. Collaborate with complementary businesses for maximum impact and reach.
• Do something nice for someone else. Offer a discount or special offer to potential customers – who knows where it will lead?
• Control what you can. Make sure that all your connectivity and businesses support processes are in capable hands. If you’re gearing up for the annual seasonal boost then you want to know that your data connectivity or other services aren’t going to fail at a critical time. 

Pandemic fatigue may be a dark cloud over the 2020 holiday season, but it’s good to know that there are ways to stay afloat and combat it. 

From us at Huge Connect, stay safe and make good decisions.