Wellbeing during COVID-19

We are now in day 58 of lockdown.

Let that sink in.

I'm going to say something that some may see as controversial. But, please indulge me and let me explain my rationale behind my thoughts.

I am pleased the likes of McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Costa, Starbucks etc are all opening back up. There, I said it.

There are many schools of thought which are not happy that these businesses have re-opened. Mainly down to the incredible demand that they've seen through their drive thru lanes. I totally get that, and understand why people might get a little irked to see someone queue for ages in their car just to get a burger. Just how essential can a cheeseburger be?

But, these things are an important part of normality for many. As we move further into a period of uncertainty, the fact that these little things can be available to us are a step into trying to make life seem that little bit more normal. Life's going to be incredibly difficult for a long time, with the things that we used to be able to do freely becoming a bit more of a challenge. At least until the picture of how we deal with Covid19 becomes clearer.

 But, the point I have in this blog is this.

 Throughout all this, for us emergency service workers, NHS staff, keyworkers, day to day life has not changed, but in some ways it has changed dramatically. We have continued to go to work. We have had to try and hold on to a sense of normality doing the jobs we did before this and that we'll do after this.

 The bit that many will have found tough is the fact that the things that we would do to try and maintain a normal life and to relax or decompress after a stressful time at work; shopping, eating out, visiting friends and family etc have all been taken away from us.

 This can have a massive effect on our mental health. As simple and trivial as it may seem, the fact that these little things become available allow us to try and maintain a sense of normality for us and our families.

 Everyone who is working through these challenging times deserve a chance to do the simple things that keep them happy.  If that's a cheeseburger, or a fancy coffee, so be it. 

 Go get your cheeseburger without judgement.

 I'm not downplaying how hard it is for people who are stuck at home too. Simple pleasures can go a long way to helping some of the mental effects of being stuck at home. Especially so for some of our children who might not be able to understand exactly what is going on.

But for us, who have been carrying on regardless, it's especially important to have the little things.  Something as simple as picking up a quick meal on the way home can do wonders for your mental health. It can help you relax. It can help you maintain normality, in a time when a sense of normality can be hard to find.

 The fact that it's harder to even just jump into a shop quickly on the way home has a huge effect on your mental wellbeing. The fact that life has had to become meticulously pre-planned to ensure you have time to do the things that would have taken minutes before is undoubtedly one of the toughest things that we have come up against. Especially for us who have been at work, and find ourselves in the position that in the limited downtime we do have, we have to plan more and more how to make effective use of it for not only relaxing but trying to do "normal life". Yes many places have given accommodations for keyworkers, but who really wants to be up on the super early restricted times on a day off? That in itself can have a detrimental effect on our mental well-being.

 So lets not underestimate how something as simple as a fancy coffee, or a burger can help someone.

 How busy these places have been are testament to how much that as a world we need these little things to maintain a sense of normality. Like everything, the initial rush to experience something "new" will always happen, but I have faith that eventually that things will settle as the "new normal" becomes just that, at least until things become clearer.

So, I say to all you key workers, to my colleagues in the ambulance service and throughout the NHS. Go get your cheeseburger without judgement. Go get your Starbucks frappe. Get your KFC bargain bucket for your family. These are all key in helping you maintain a healthy mental state. ANYTHING that can allow you to hold on to a sense of normality in these incredibly difficult times is hugely important, no matter how trivial some may see it as.

And to those stuck at home, the same goes for you too. These little things are wonderful and should not be underestimated how they may make you feel better mentally.

 As long as we continue to do it in a safe, socially distanced manner for now, I see no problem with it. Be safe. Be happy. Be sensible.

 
Darren Miller