Small Changes
Reframing the routine can be the way out in the face of uncertainty
Several people that I know made significant changes in their lives during the pandemic. Some changed their relationship status; others switched jobs; moved to other neighborhoods or cities. Some used the benefit of the home office to spend more time in their parent's houses; or even to have a nomadic experience in different places.
I've pretty much been doing the same since March 2020, when the lockdown began. I cannot complain, of course: I took some short trips since I live in California and there are plenty of deserted places that I could escape to and practice social distance in the middle of nature. Plus, I'm vaxxed and have all my basic needs met.
I'm conscious that these are enormous privileges, given that more than half of the world's population is not vaccinated, and thousands of people are suffering right now from unemployment, food insecurity, and grief due to Covid-19. Still, I feel that my brain craves some novelty. Should I blame myself for feeling that way?
Yes, the guilt is real, but I think that, at some point, life has to resume. Talking with some friends about it, I discovered that it's not just me. One feeling shared among many people is that the pandemic seems not to have an end.
When we finally started seeing vaccine progress, new variants and anti-vax people emerged. We feel powerless and cannot control our lives - as the world is still holding the "pause" button.
While some people saw this period as an opportunity for significant changes, others feel stagnant because of several factors like financial insecurity, fear, family problems linked to the pandemic, etc. The rise of anxiety and depression symptoms rates shows that people are, indeed, mentally exhausted. There is a familiar feeling that the days are all the same, in an endless and monotonous routine.
Routine is good, but so does breaking it
Credit: Unsplash
It is important to note that routine can be a good thing, though. Several researchers claim that having a daily schedule alleviates symptoms of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety symptoms, and bipolar disorder.
Recently, listening to a podcast, I heard from a psychologist that routine could make our lives make sense. She spoke something like: "To know 'when' is one of our biggest existential questions". Meaning: routine brings us an illusion of predictability, a safety feeling.
The thing is: the pandemic took it from us because "when" became a massive question without a simple answer. Plus, we are still following a forced routine, not a chosen one. Our home, which should be synonymous with comfort, sometimes looks like a prison. We lost our freedom and spontaneity, even to break the routine by making small or big plans.
Maybe the path, right now, is to try to "makeover" our routine, searching for some newness with things that are within our control.
Small changes, big improvements
Since I noticed that there are many things that I cannot change in my routine right now, nor can I plan a noteworthy innovation, I started to think small. I picked the tiny things that I can control, and started to do minor improvements in my routine to feel that something new is happening.
I started with the classic "craving a change" act: I dyed my hair. Then, I tried to rediscover my neighborhood. I went to a grocery store that I've never been to before - and it's just three blocks away from my home. There, I discovered several products that I can't find in the store that I usually go to.
I've made small modifications at home, too. I rearranged my workspace, moved the furniture, and redecorated it with plants and family photos. It brought me a "new view" inside my own home. I also made a small investment in new pillows. Actually, I should change the mattress, but I can't do it right now, so I started humbly. It improved my sleep quality by 80%. That's progress!
There is a scientific basis as to why we like new things so much. Some studies show that novelty makes us happy because the brain interprets it as a potential for reward, that is to say, something pleasurable. Fresh, new, and unfamiliar stimuli activate dopamine neurons, improving our memory and learning capacity - since it is an excellent opportunity to make new neural connections and enlarge our brain's plasticity.
I can tell myself that these recent little new experiences made me feel more creative, less anxious and put me in a better mood. Here are some tips for minor changes that can play a significant role in your mental status:
On the weekend, take 10 or 15 minutes to plan your meals for the week ahead. You will thank yourself when you find out that you don't have to overthink preparing your food (and, consequently, use food apps less often).
Wake up ten minutes earlier and do something for yourself: stretch your body, meditate, read ten pages of a book, or just have some coffee without external stimuli such as TV or cell phone.
Take a short walk after lunch. If you have a dog, even better: take them with you.
Learn something new that has nothing to do with your work.
Buy a new plant. They make the home more beautiful and alive.
Rearrange furniture.
Buy a new photo frame and put one picture that brings a good memory.
Clean a drawer.
Give away clothes that you are not wearing anymore.
Try a new recipe - and, if the result is good, give some to a friend.
In a moment when we cannot control big things, thinking small may be helpful. We can allow ourselves to make some changes with safe practices and empathy for those in a worse spot than us.
When the world gives us no option to see massive and extraordinary perspectives, we may try to honor the small pleasures in our ordinary lives.
