As we transition away from the last of the Covid-19 pandemic mandates and restrictions in Hong Kong, there are lessons learned and habits formed that are worth taking new normal. Here are 3 habits I will incorporate into building a healthier new normal.
Most of the world has long since left its Covid-19 pandemic mandates and restrictions behind in late 2021 and early 2022. I have watched my Canadian and American family and friends ditch their masks and transition back to a more 'normal' daily life.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, we have just begun to transition out of our long list of pandemic restrictions and mandates towards the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. Some of them were the strictest in the world. For example, 14-21 days of mandatory hotel quarantine for any inbound traveller.
One of my sons endured 14 days while the other endured 21 days when coming home to visit us in 2020 and 2021. And if you are thinking how bad can it be to stay in a hotel for quarantining?
My sons will tell you about their experiences of being restricted to their hotel rooms 24/7, with set menu meals delivered to the door by people in full protective gear. They were given cleaning supplies to do their own housekeeping as services were suspended. And no laundry services either... Relaxing hotel stays they were not.
This week, a Facebook memory photo popped up from Easter 2020. I posted a photo of chocolate easter bunnies donned with surgical masks and images of me in my first decorative surgical masks. We have been living in masks for over 3 years.
Hong Kong started automatically wearing masks in February 2020 before the WHO declared Covid-19 as a pandemic the following month. Many of our citizens experienced SARS and automatically started wearing masks for personal and community protection.
Little did we know that Hong Kong would go on to mandate mask-wearing in all public areas for 945 days.
In January 2023, most of the pandemic restrictions were dropped when the city moved away from the Zero-Covid policy. Then on March 1, Hong Kong lifted the last Covid-19 mandate of mask-wearing in all public areas.
"With the removal of the mandate, Hong Kong will return to normalcy," Mr. Lee (John Lee Ka-Chiu, Hong Kong Chief Executive) said. "In this year and the coming year, we will go all out for the economy and development at full speed."
Source: Hong Kong ends mask mandate after 945 days - BBC.com
With that said, the city has been given permission to roll full steam ahead toward 'normal'. But are people ready?
On March 1, there was no celebration for being able to go mask-free. Instead, 90% of the population still wore their masks in public areas because it has already become a habit of self-protection and security.
People may say they want things to go back to the normal we knew before the pandemic, but they are also feeling stress and anxiety from Post-Pandemic Traumatic Stress.
We have all been changed in some way by the pandemic experience. Mandated or not, some of the new habits and mindsets are actually good for our overall health.
Reflecting on 3 years of my Hong Kong pandemic life, here are the 3 habits I will incorporate into building a healthier new normal.
1. Setting Safety Precautions
Before the pandemic, there was FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), an overall sense that we wanted to be included and active in all that was happening around us.
After 3 years of habit-changing mandates and restrictions that isolated us in some way, people are now experiencing FONO (Fear of Normal) and FOGO (Fear of Going Out). Although these are not official psychological terms, they do accurately describe the stress and anxiety that people are experiencing as they resume their 'normal' lives.
FOGO is nervousness and anxiety about going out even though we have been told it's safe.
FONO is a fearful emotional response to things once considered commonplace, such as returning to work or going to parties.
Although mandates and restrictions have been lifted and governments are telling us it's safe back to normal. Is it? We can still catch Covid-19 if we do not take proper precautions.
I will continue to set my own boundaries as a precaution to stay healthy.
I can choose smaller social gatherings where I can create stronger connections with friends instead of large parties.
I can choose to protect myself with mask-wearing in crowded situations.
I will continue with my now-entrenched hand hygiene habits.
Mitigating risks and taking health precautions is a habit I will continue in my new normal. While I am not giving in to FOGO or FONO, setting my own boundaries as I integrate back into my work and social life is going to help me protect my mental and physical health.
2. Thinking Fast and Breathing Slow
One of the biggest lessons learned in pandemic times is how things can change at the drop of a hat. Everything is in a hyper state of flux influenced by the ripple effects of the evolving pandemic.
Global supply chains are still catching up with many things that impact our daily lives such as construction supplies, produce supplies, packaging supplies, etc. (Note that toilet paper shortages were not a supply chain issue.)
Companies are short-staffed and still trying to figure out if they should have hybrid schedules. Employees are stressed because their new normal includes more work with less staff and resources.
Agility and critical thinking skills have never been in higher demand. But while we need to be agile to adapt to a world in flux, we also need to be calm and collected to make the best decisions and take the appropriate actions.
The past 3 years have been a test of my ability to quickly adopt plan B, C or D while being calm and breathing slowly to focus on what I can control vs. what I cannot.
For example:
Out of My Control | What I Can Control |
|---|---|
Planned in-person events suddenly need to be online. | Learn online facilitation skills. |
Consulting contracts are suddenly being cancelled because of budgeting reallocation and cutbacks. | Offer mini-programs that can fit their new budgeting needs and stay connected for future opportunities. |
Coaching clients who have been laid off and can no longer afford my services. | Stay in touch, offer support and encouragement and connect them to options and opportunities in my network. |
Unexpected changes in travel restrictions that were prevented me from travelling to Canada to visit my sons. | Change plans to have them come to visit us as they had more time during their summer breaks to complete the required inbound traveller hotel quarantine. |
It's easy to be reactive to so many uncertainties and changes happening all around us and with such frequency. But reacting with frustration, anger and fear only makes the situation worse. Chose to think fast, but breathe slowly and focus on proactivity instead.
3. Connecting with Mindfulness and Gratitude
One of the most important lessons from the pandemic is awareness of the people and relationships in our lives that matter most. It took lockdowns and travel restrictions to make us realize how much we need to connect with those we care about in our lives.
As of April 19, 2023, 6,908,554 global deaths from Covid-19 that have been reported to the World Health Organization. So many have been impacted by the loss of a loved one. So many have had to endure separation from their families and friends.
During the height of the Omicron wave in Hong Kong, I felt the most isolated from family and friends and the most scared for their health and wellbeing. Weekly phone calls and video calls to my aunts were so comforting and brought me joy just to hear their voices and laughter.
Facetime and Zoom calls with family and friends in Canada bridged the oceans between us and we could laugh, vent, cry and support each other. Even social media was a great way to connect with my friends around the globe. Simple messages of care and encouragement made the days brighter and I didn't feel so alone.
Working from home meant that my husband and I had more time together and an opportunity to gain more insight into each other's daily work life. Spending so much time together was a great exercise in connecting deeper and discovering how to support each other through pandemic stress and anxiety.
I hope this lesson of connecting and reaching out more often to people we care about near and far will not be forgotten in our new normal.
Our pandemic experiences have created a collective global trauma that will take time to heal. We will need to keep the habit of connecting with mindfulness and gratitude to make sure the meaningful people in our lives know they are special to us. We will need to continue to show support and care to one another.
Technically, We Are Not Yet Post-Pandemic
In January 2023, The World Health Organization announced that Covid-19 remains a global health emergency as the world enters the fourth year of the pandemic.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, made the optimistic statement that he was hopeful the world will transition out of the emergency phase of the pandemic this year.
“We remain hopeful that in the coming year, the world will transition to a new phase in which we reduce hospitalizations and deaths to the lowest possible level, and health systems are able to manage Covid-19 in an integrated and sustainable way,”
Source: WHO says Covid remains a global emergency but pandemic could near its end in 2023 - cnbc.com
Transition is a good word to describe the state of the world right now...
A study conducted in June 2020 revealed the following:
40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioural health condition.
30.9% reported symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder.
26.3% reported symptoms of trauma and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic.
13.3% reported having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19.
For many people, returning to 'normal' will mean addressing mental health challenges that intensified or arose during the pandemic.
A study published in January 2023 concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in negative mental health outcomes throughout the world and the possible link to social anxiety. Various studies and surveys report how the pandemic has impacted our overall behavioural health.
How we all emerge from the ongoing pandemic is yet to be seen. Perhaps our goal should not be to chase the old ways of going about our lives hyper-focused on productivity and achievement.
Perhaps we can reflect on how to live healthier and happier with some of the pandemic habits that have helped us so far. Set your safety precautions to protect your health and well-being. Think fast and breathe slow, focusing on what you can control. Connect with mindfulness and gratitude to let those people who make your life meaningful know just how much they are valued.
Stay strong, stay safe and stay positive.
Here are some additional informative articles on what we need as we transition to post-pandemic times:
Is the Covid-19 Pandemic Over or Not? - Online Article - health.harvard.edu
People are developing trauma-like symptoms as the pandemic wears on - Online Article - npr.org
How Has The Pandemic Affected Mental Health Now that It’s “Over” - Online Article - ask.com
I would love to hear your comments!
What are some good habits that you have developed during the pandemic?
What is a good habit that you will continue to do in your new normal?
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