Why 2021 is the Year of Good Enough!
I officially began experiencing pandemic fatigue by September 2020. When we initially started the first lockdown, I was hyper-focused on getting supplies (food and activities for my daughter in particular), as well as trying to maintain my equilibrium as much as possible. I was still exercising, meditating and doing all of the things that keep me on an even keel. Despite the difficulties of having an 18-month-old at home, both my husband and I somehow got into a rhythm of doing our work virtually while trying to keep our toddler from destroying our home (and our sanity in the process).
With hindsight, I found the whole process as exhilarating as I did horrific; I was suddenly giving Zoom webinars with an alarming regularity, while doing the day job during moments of respite as my daughter napped and/or my husband had taken over his shift for childcare. It certainly wasn’t easy but there was an adrenaline kick associated with creating this “new normal”.
Fast forward to September 2020 and it was a different story altogether. The monotony of home working had really started to kick in and the extrovert in me was missing the variety of having daily interactions with different people, not least the ability to hug and be tactile with family and friends alike. I even missed commuting and over-priced lunches! So, by September I entered the slow descent of just keep all the plates spinning until Christmas, which I thought would give me that much needed opportunity for rest and relaxation. However, 2020 (the year that kept on giving), had other plans and I contracted Covid-19 over the Christmas break!
Fortunately for me, I had a mild dose of Covid-19. Nevertheless, with nowhere to go and no energy to do anything, the first few weeks of January 2021 were a blur of sickness and nothingness. All of which I think – in retrospect – was a blessing.
As someone on a one-woman mission to keep Paperchase in business, I have a ritual of doing extensive diary planning for the beginning of a new year. I set out all of goals for the year using lovely stationary. However, this year I decided that I only had two goals, namely:
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- To protect my peace at all cost. For me, this means putting my mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health at the forefront of my decision-making. As such, I am trying to reinvigorate my meditation practice as well as going for daily walks no matter how short; and
- Doing what I can when I can to the best of my abilities. As a recovering perfectionist, I have a tendency – formerly a compulsion – to pursue excellence in all things. Of course, achieving perfection is impossible, but it does provide fertile ground for self-criticism. Given the constraints on my time with a young child and significant workload, coupled with the limited energy I have during this third lockdown, my new mantra is to do things to the best of my abilities, as and when I can. This still means I have to stretch myself, but there is an inherent recognition of the limitations placed on me and most of us during this trying time.
From admittedly my small sample size, most of the people I have spoken with are having similar difficulties as the lockdown progresses. I have found this is particularly acute with those who are single and living alone, as well as those with younger children. I am also fortunate enough to know people who have thrived in this pandemic, but sadly they are few and far between.
With Boris Johnson setting a roadmap to normality in England, hopefully we can all start to heal from whatever horrors we have had to contend with during this pandemic. However, I hope we do not forget some of the helpful lessons that were thrust upon us. From re-examining attitudes to home working to being more community-focused – it would be a shame not to build upon some of these positives for the individual and collective good.
It is possible that as things improve, I may revert to my more rigorous diary planning process. However, I am hoping that the two goals I have committed to will result in my being kinder to myself whatever happens. Hopefully, this will positively impact my interactions with others as we would all do well to acknowledge that we have all experienced real hardship over the last year; from job losses, health challenges, family difficulties, bereavements and beyond.
Given that sharing is caring, I would really like to hear how the pandemic has impacted your career planning and goal setting.
Fudia