After 18 months of imposed lockdowns across the UK, our social lives restricted, our holidays restricted, most things that we enjoyed doing were restricted. After being locked in our homes for months on end, doing puzzles, watching TV and watching the days go by have we become more enthused to ‘take life by the horns’ per se? Could it be that we have more of a zest to do things now that maybe we wouldn’t have done before all of this? Has the pandemic lockdowns made us more spontaneous or has it done the opposite?
Are people more spontaneous?
In short, yes they are. But not everyone is in the same boat as the past 18 months has affected different people differently. After having things that we took for granted taken away, some people are now taking the view that they should do as many things as possible when they can. In a survey of 2000 adults, 22% of them said they wanted to inject a new sense of adventure into their lives as things return to normal.
Research is suggesting more people are not only being more spontaneous with what they do in life, but also more spontaneous with their social plans with an increase of people making social plans last minute instead of staying in.
Not everyone is feeling this new spontaneity
As much as coming out of the pandemic with a new found spontaneity may sounds great, it has not had the same effect for everyone. For many, it is now quite the opposite. There is more anxiety around social events, going out for dinner, to the cinema and so on. This anxiety has meant that others have actually found it harder to live life like they used to. People are tired, stressed and lonely as a result of the 18 months of isolation, uncertainty and fear. These things for those people will not pass overnight. For those who feel this way, consider the below to help reduce this feeling and allow you to return to some form of normality:
- Take things one step at a time
- Stay connected with friends and loved ones
- Plan things that you enjoy
- Try to bring back old routines
- Think about what you value and what’s important
- Accept that things can take time
In summary
Whether you have a new found zest to be spontaneous, or whether you are struggling to return to a form of normality, it is important to accept and understand that everyone will be in different places, have been affected differently and that there is no right or wrong way of doing things.
As restrictions ease and things begin opening up again there is still a slight air of uncertainty around what the future may hold, but it is important that you feel good with your choices
More information
If you would like to hear more about this topics please join our live Webinar on ‘Has lockdown made you more spontaneous?’ on Friday 27th August at 12:00pm-12:30pm To register please use the following link –
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7421304781709912334
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.
If you feel you may need some support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.