Blog Post

I’m always talking in coaching sessions about the need to have a proper connection with ourselves and the life we want and deserve. This is even more apparent around current times and our adjustment to a ‘new normal’ and changing rules and restrictions as we emerge from lockdown.

The focus on staying safe, happy and calm and alright with everything Covid-related is so important.

Balancing this with our own needs, wants and desires is paramount. I’ve called this Life/ Virus balance and it fits exactly where we are at now.

We’re all familiar with the focus on Work/ Life balance wherein we ensure that our work doesn’t take over our life and that our personal space and time meets our desires, ambitions and needs. Of course I’ve always worked with my clients around this and apply it to my life too. Work/ Life balance is still relevant and maybe even more so for those whose work and life spaces are no longer defined. Your eating space is your working space. Your office may be shared with your partner. Your bedroom is your new office. You do your washing up in your tea break. You have access to the contents of your whole fridge at lunchtime. Your working day extends past your finish time, you wear your pyjamas or joggers when you have no video calls. And so on. And maybe it’s something I’ll come back to another time. But that’s a different topic from what I want to talk about today.

Life/ Virus balance is connected but not the same. Read on if you’d like to find out more.

What I’m talking about is this. Are you letting the virus and our new way of having to live actually get in the way of living the life that’s right for you? Perhaps take a minute or so to ponder. What does the impact of the virus mean for you that’s unhelpful or stressful, causes anxiety or just simply stops you being truly you? Halts the flow you’d like from life?

Basically, how is Covid getting in the way?

I’d reckon pretty much so for all of us. Unless … and here’s the thing, we really make the effort and direct our thoughts and feelings to consciously ensure it doesn’t take over. Indeed, that it doesn’t switch the balance of life and all its wonders to a heavily weighted, unevenly distributed focus on the virus and how it limits us. I hope you’re following my train of thought here. How can we ensure our lives are still good, happy, calm, joyful, content, peaceful, fun and connected despite the virus and its impact and restrictions? That’s really the key to a Life/ Virus balance. Understanding the aspects which are out of our control and not allowing them to take over. Understanding the aspects which we can control – our choices, our attitude, our actions and going with them. To still live a life we love, without feeling compromised.

This isn’t of course saying that adapting to 2020 has been easy or is likely to be so, just more a reminder that we have the choices and control to still make the most of what’s possible.

Covid has brought many challenges: job losses, health considerations, caring responsibilities, financial worries and constraints, changes in freedom or spontaneity, cancelled and re-positioned plans, increased fear and anxiety, decreases in confidence and wellbeing, relationship issues and more. There’s no denying that.

But what I’m tasking you with is to think about a few key things.

What aspects of Covid life are you allowing to affect you detrimentally? And how can you change that? What do you love about life which you can continue to enjoy?

Then truly you have Life/ Virus balance.

Here’s some of my personal choices and actions if any resonate for you.

• Embracing time with my family and extended family as my household has significantly increased
• Valuing the time not spent commuting and using it productively
• Learning new professional skills to adapt to what’s needed now
• Connecting with my friends in different ways and appreciating those who are doing this too
• Shopping online which is very new to me
• Not jumping into things without thought and consideration
• Not following what everyone else is doing – more so deciding what’s right for me
• Contenting myself with different ways to enjoy my time; creating, learning, reading, listening to audiobooks and having down time
• Channelling any energy of frustration into well-being
• Going with the flow
• Living in the moment and not thinking too far ahead into the unknown
• Walking, walking and more walking
• Online dance classes, as never before!
• Exploring the outdoors and nature and appreciating how beautiful our world is
• Watching many wildlife and nature programmes
• Planning for adventures for whenever that is possible
• Making a focused effort to stay calm
• Disconnecting from social media
• Only following BBC Scotland news channels and Scottish government briefings
• Using the time to declutter and sort my house
• Supporting others more

So, find your Life/ Virus balance. Let it work for you. It’s what you deserve.