Recovering our lives after months in solitary confinement won't be easy. We will have to go out by defeating fears, adapting to changes and developing a critical but also creative vision. All this will help us to transition into this new reality in the best possible way.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: 15 November 2021
Few things seem as uncertain to us as starting life again after quarantine. Our mind is imagining multiple possible scenarios and, even if we like some more than others, there is an element that almost always remains unchanged: we know that nothing will be the same and that we will still be forced to live with the Coronavirus.
From an evolutionary point of view, psychologists and anthropologists invite us to focus on opportunities and the positive side of things. Humanity never stops moving forward and the pandemic has seen coordinated efforts by the entire scientific community to find a vaccine. Ours is a cooperative society that has always survived by creating alliances.
The current crisis opens the door for a more compassionate society. As Juan Luis Arsuaga, a great expert on human evolution, explains to us, this crisis has forced us to understand that we have no control over our future. It is time to think like adults and to face change as responsible and optimistic.
After all, the pessimist does nothing but justify himself and remain helpless. Only by looking at the future with optimism will we understand that in order to change the situation we must take responsibility. At this moment, we have an immediate responsibility: slowly return to life. Here are some tips on how to start life over after quarantine.
Starting life again after quarantine: how to do it?
To understand what life after quarantine will be like, we can rely on what is happening in countries that are already in this phase.
We know that both work and school activity has resumed in China with strict security measures, social distancing and hygiene standards. In Germany and Sweden, however, despite the fact that bars, restaurants and shops are open, people have drastically reduced both purchases and outings.
There is economic fear and caution. Expenses are lower, tourism is minimal and another no less important factor emerges: unemployment. The landscape is complex and the habits of life of the populations that are already in more advanced stages have changed almost completely.
What can we do then? How can life start over after quarantine? Here are some points to think about.
The end of the quarantine is only a process within the pandemic
The end of the quarantine is not the end of the pandemic. We will go through various stages that will progress (or not) depending on how well the outbreak is controlled. This does not mean that the risk of infection is gone: on the contrary, we will have to learn to live with the virus.
With this clear in mind we need to open our minds to a different perspective. We will resume our lives, yes, but in a slow and progressive way.
These conditions force us to consider three psychological aspects: patience, adaptation to change and stress management. Any lifestyle change can generate alarm, anguish and fear. We will have to be ready to face these emotional variables.
The way of reacting to the end of the quarantine varies for each person
In the last few days we have seen people fill the streets filled with anxiety, joy and, often, a certain feeling of normality. On the other side of the coin there are those who are afraid of going out on the street. These differences are absolutely normal.
There is no need to worry if you feel more anxiety, if we feel we are not in the rhythm of others and if fear is holding us back more than we would like.
It's not a problem: each has its own rhythms, its own way of reacting and facing new situations. Let's take all the time we need. The important thing is to progress slowly with the aim of going out into the world and designing what our new life will be.
We will continue on who goes there: we must accept social distancing
When life starts again after quarantine, we will have to accept one essential factor: social distancing will remain the protagonist in any scenario. This is the only way to keep the risk of infection at bay.
This means that we will have to reformulate our way of working, of relating, of having fun… These are all elements to be accepted as soon as possible.
From fear to creativity: reformulating what we want for our near future
Fear is a thousand-faced emotion that must be understood. Not only does it guarantee our survival by forcing us to be cautious, immobile and to defend ourselves. This immobility in turn places us on a new starting line, a new beginning.
It is an emotion we all live with. Who does not walk through life with a luggage full of fears? Fear of being infected, fear of being unemployed, of not knowing what will happen tomorrow ... The important thing is to continue to act despite the fear, developing new mechanisms of action.
If I am afraid of getting infected, I will take measures to protect myself. If I am afraid of being unemployed, I will think of a change, a strategy and a new career path to adapt and react. Survival goes hand in hand with creativity.
Develop critical thinking to restart life after quarantine
Life after quarantine will require the application of good critical thinking. The new phase that awaits us forces us to reformulate many aspects that previously defined us and that perhaps will need to be changed. In this sense, you have to pay close attention to cognitive overload.
We will have to be cautious, intuitive and critical in order not to fall into hoaxes, in falsehoods and in those behaviors that in the long run will prove to be negative for everyone. If our neighbors, family and friends are ignoring social distancing measures, it doesn't mean we should do the same.
It is time to be responsible, courageous and intelligent. Any challenge requires the best of us and, no doubt, we will do it well. Let's think about it and act accordingly.
