The end is finally here — way later than we thought it was going to be here, but hey, at least it’s here. Fashionably late. What else did we expect from Melbourne and Sydney? Now, the time’s finally come to readjust to a new normal after lockdown, otherwise known as: time to get on the beers.
The thing is, a majority of Australia’s population were stuck inside for months on end, and as a result, we’ve all forgotten how to behave like normal human beings. Yikes. The pub bookings are just around the corner and we’ve all forgotten how to make small talk and pull normal facial expressions without a mask covering up half of our faces. So… where to from here? Let’s figure it out together.
Clean Out the Fridge
Hate to be the one to say it, but, be honest. You just spent (what felt like) an eternity stuck inside your house… did you make any time to clean your fridge out?
You’ve spent so much time stuck with only yourself to keep you company, that we’ve all gotten a little too comfortable. In other words, stewing in your own filth = COVID normal. No offense. It’s not personal, this applies to literally everyone.
It’s about time you took everything out of your fridge, reassessed it, then reorganised it. Logically. Organise everything that goes back into the fridge in a way that makes sense, that you can actually upkeep.
You might be thinking: why would I bother cleaning my fridge out now that restaurants have reopened after lockdown? I can finally eat out, why inspect my fridge now, of all times. Here’s the thing: who do you want to be the first to discover the yoghurt that’s grown into its own ecosystem in your fridge? You… or the first person you invite over? Up to you.
Pick Some Things to Do, Just for You
It might seem counterintuitive to spend more time alone after lockdown, but believe it or not, there’s never been a better time to take yourself out on a date.
Since 2020, lockdown has proven to affect mental health beyond what we’re used to, and there are statistics to prove it. Between the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 and June 2021, 17.6 million mental health-related services were processed across Australia. A lot of us struggled with our mental health during lockdown.
There’s no denying it was a hard time, and that’s exactly why jumping back into socialising can feel so hard. It’s unrealistic to return back to pre-COVID normal after lockdown, as if nothing happened. A lot of us have anxiety about going back to normal after lockdown, so we suggest you take it easy.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Spend some time checking in with yourself instead:
- Get enough sleep
- Keep on exercising (your mental health will thank you for it)
- Don’t feel like you have to see everyone right away, spend some time with the people closest to you first
- Ease into bigger events as restrictions lift
Most importantly, you should check in on your own mental health, every day. It doesn’t have to be anything too serious — take a second to take note of how you’re doing, and reach out for help if you need to — we all need to make a little space in our heads sometimes. It can be easy to forget to take that time when you’re trying to keep up with a new normal after lockdown.
De-Gym the Garage
Gyms have reopened. Finally! Time to never work out at home again. Let’s celebrate by chucking the Peloton bike out the window… or selling it on Facebook marketplace, at least. You might as well get your money’s worth, they’re expensive and you probably hardly used it.
Get out of your hermit shell by going to the gym more often. It’s a good excuse to get out of the house, and the perfect excuse to hold yourself accountable and actually work out. The possibility of running into your gym crush is the only reason people actually work out, right?
Now that you can actually go to the gym you can clear out the gear you bought during lockdown and finally make some space in your garage, so you can actually fit your car in there.
Same goes for the rest of your home that’s housing the lockdown hobbies gone wrong, lockdown shopping that got out of hand, lockdown hobbies you never got to… you get the gist. Un-storeroom the stairwell. Un-office the outhouse. Un-wardrobe your workplace. Whatever applies, it’s time you made some space.
Need your garage back?
Step Away from the Screen Time
Binge Netflix, eat your heart out, and become one with the couch. It’s all we knew during lockdown… and now it’s time to say goodbye *wipes tear*.
All we had to distract ourselves from anxiety during lockdown was our screens. It’s time to create some distance from the screens that rule your life, whether that’s your phone, your TV, or your laptop after work hours. Try:
- Uninstalling some apps
- Setting timers on your devices
- Avoiding the news a little (you’ve spent too long waiting for daily press conferences)
- Spending some time with real people instead
There’s no harm spending a day in every now and then, with just you and your TV, but for your own sake: try not to come back to old lockdown habits.
Text Your Friends
Checked in with your mental health after lockdown? Taken time to yourself, and gone on a date on your own? Now’s the time: send the text you’ve been dreading. Make some real plans to meet up with your real friends.
If you’re feeling nervous, don’t feel bad, you’re not alone. More and more people are experiencing some social anxiety after lockdown, so despite what you might think, you’re not the only one overthinking every text you send in every group chat. Try not to get stuck in your head and reach out. Once you’re out and about, catching up with the people you missed, your old self will come back to you in no time.
Refresh Your Place (Before the Guests Get There)
Can you believe it? People are actually allowed to come inside your house now, to see where you’ve been holed up since the beginning of the pandemic! Hallelujah, prayer hands emoji, yep, we finally made it, sooooo… time to celebrate, right? Except we’ve all forgotten how to host. Eek.
Don’t let your friends know how messy your place was over lockdown. Nobody has to know. Play it cool and completely refresh your home instead, with a quick redecorate, your place will be unrecognisable in no time (in this scenario, that’s a good thing, don’t leave a trace of your COVID self behind, nobody needs to see that).
If you’re having trouble getting all your lockdown clutter out of the way (think excessively large puzzles, VR headsets to virtually simulate the real world, and baking equipment you never touched), here’s our advice: hide it all in a TAXIBOX.
If you really want to return to normal after lockdown and leave all that behind you, we can help you out. Get a TAXIBOX delivered to your place, pack up your stuff, and we’ll store it until you’re ready to face those demons again… no matter how long that might take you.
Need new normal… now? Put all your lockdown mess into a TAXIBOX, let’s start moving on.
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