One Year of Covid
What it’s meant for us and our clients
I think it’s safe to say, that the past year has been one of uncertainty and adaptation. A year where things changed at a moment’s notice, presenting us all with new challenges, and bringing many aspects of our lives together unexpectedly. For many, it’s been a time to reassess our priorities; how we actually choose to live our lives, to engage with the world around us and how we look after ourselves.
Key issues which have come to light, receiving extensive media coverage, are how we stay connected to our friends and family, as well as managing our physical, mental and financial health effectively.
We’ve relied heavily on technology to communicate both inside and outside of work - Zoom call anyone? Staying in contact with the ones we love had never been so important, especially for those who lived alone or felt isolated.
We’ve suddenly realised that having an hour to exercise outside is actually extremely valuable and activities such as walking, running and cycling have increased in popularity, not to mention borrowing the neighbour’s dog!
"enjoying green space, promotes relaxation and a sense of wellbeing"
Outdoor activities aren’t only good for our physical health, but our mental health as well - a change of scene, some Vitamin D (if we’re lucky) and enjoying green space, all promote relaxation and a general sense of wellbeing. Meditation and counselling have also been advocated as ways to maintain balance and good mental health.
Arguably the most divisive aspect of Covid has been the financial impact experienced by people. Some have been able to work from home and have managed to save money through reduced travel and the closure of coffee shops and restaurants, for example. Others have been furloughed, receiving reduced income, but have managed to achieve a financial balance, again due to reduced expenditures associated with work. And many, have unfortunately been unable to work, have had to seek Government assistance and have struggled to make ends meet.
All of the above have presented us, in one way or another, with challenges, stresses and in some cases, opportunities - a strange and potentially contentious thing to be saying during a global pandemic.
The Body Mechanics team has been in touch with many of you throughout the year and we’ve listened to what you’ve found challenging and why.
Compartmentalisation - both lockdown and Covid restrictions have highlighted how disruptive the blurring of boundaries can be. We used to live our lives in relatively ‘neat’ compartments - we had a work life, a home life, a social life - which would establish a routine around the tasks we did, the people we interacted with and the times we did them; these compartments provided us with a framework for our lives. Covid has disrupted our norm, our order, our routines and habits. Work is now in our homes. Socialising sometimes feels like an extension of our work meetings, having catch ups online. Covid has meant that all of these elements have become intertwined, leading to more roles being assumed by individuals, challenges around prioritisation, time management and balance. We’ve heard many of you say you have a newfound appreciation for teachers!
The re-establishing of boundaries is essential but can be difficult and ever changing.
Creativity - 'lockdown lethargy’ has been a term adopted by the media and used frequently to describe how our emotions and energy have dropped due to the disruption, uncertainty, and restrictions Covid has imposed on our lives. Living both with and in the unknown has forced us to look at things differently and to get creative. How can we work with the new normal - our work patterns, childcare plans, general day-to-day living? How we can stay active - do we stick with our normal activities, or do we take up a new sport or hobby, or both? How do we stay social - should we use different forms of technology, should we use social media platforms, should we schedule contact or keep it spontaneous? How can we stay engaged and keep ourselves entertained, without our activities and distractions becoming part of the monotony? How can we balance everything under Covid restrictions?
Contingency - perpetual changes have meant we need to be in a constant state of preparedness; to have a plan in place ‘just in case’ This can be exhausting. It’s an uncomfortable way to live and can create stress and anxiety. Many of us will need some form of contingency plans around day-to-day life, our work patterns, our family life and childcare. For others, contingency has focused on restricted levels of work and finances; trying to make income, savings and expenditure balance, or at the very least, how to minimise debt.
We’ve summarised them into The 3 C’s
Covid has been an emotional rollercoaster and yet despite all the challenges, the stresses and the disruptions, many positive things have been learned. We’ve had to reassess our priorities and look at what we consider to be necessities and luxuries. We’ve learned to enjoy the simple pleasures. We’ve realised just how valuable technology is and how having that connection, whether it's for work or for socialising, can be crucial in terms of feeling a part of a team, a friendship or a family. We’ve learned that looking after ourselves, properly, is essential. We’ve also learned how widely the NHS and Keyworkers support society and community.
A year of Covid has been very different for us at Body Mechanics too. Our hands-on treatments with both corporate and individual clients were stopped overnight. Contact with our clients was severely reduced. The Team had to stop working and no income was received. The client facing part of the business was put on hold.
Covid made us look at Body Mechanics differently - the services we provide, how we provide them and how we needed to strengthen what we offer; how can we adapt to Covid restrictions and make the business more robust in the future? We saw lockdown as an opportunity to spend time on business planning and development. In this and the upcoming editions, we’ll discuss exactly what we did, how it will benefit you and how you can access our new services and products.
To start, you will find an overview of our new Body Mechanics Membership and our new library of Resources, putting convenience and consistency at the heart of your wellbeing schedule.
The Body Mechanics Team are very much looking forward to seeing and helping you all again.
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you. You can email us at enquiries@bodymechanics.co.uk