Mental health experts deliver strategies for managing stress associated with returning to a ‘post-pandemic’ world.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Eric Johnson was a road warrior.

Now, the prospect of returning to frequent travel fills the vice president of sales and development at Minnesota-based promotional products supplier with something not far from dread.

“I’ve become comfortable with my new lifestyle – with being at home with my wife and doing things with her,” Johnson admits. “Plus, the technology we’ve come to rely on during the pandemic enables us to do our jobs very effectively. Having to cover the high cost of travel is a concern too.”

Johnson is among the people in the promo industry and beyond experiencing what some mental health experts have come to call “back-to-normal” anxiety or “post-pandemic” anxiety. Put basically, this is a sense of discomfort, worry and/or distress associated with the reopening of society and return to something like what life was like prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.

The phenomenon has been increasingly experienced as vaccination rollouts accelerate, restrictions on businesses and events loosen or lift, and as more companies look to return workers to some level of in-office work. The sense of anxiety can vary from mild to severe, ranging from some who feel occasional nagging worry to those experiencing near crippling fear for everything from their health to social phobia related to interacting in person with people again.

Mental health experts say that it’s normal to experience such emotions, especially given the stressors and outright trauma of the past year of pandemic and the uncertainty that comes with how things will go in the months ahead as routines established during the hunkering down of COVID are subject to change. But while the worry is normal, it doesn’t mean you’re powerless against it.

“Anxiety thrives in the unknowns and ‘back-to-normal’ anxiety is just that, an unknown,” says Dr. Geri-Lynn Utter (pictured). “However, there are ways to manage this anxiety.”

“The expectation is that we’re to ‘go back to normal’ and readapt and readjust to a whole new world, post-COVID,” says Dr. Geri-Lynn Utter, a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with individuals diagnosed with both substance use disorders and severe mental illness.

Utter continued: “This adaptation can be scary, anxiety-provoking. But what’s fascinating about human beings is our ability to adapt. We may feel anxious and fearful, but the vast majority of us will adapt to whatever the ‘new normal’ may be. Anxiety thrives in the unknowns and ‘back-to-normal’ anxiety is just that, an unknown. However, there are ways to manage this anxiety.”

Indeed, here are 12 strategies from mental health professionals to help you do just that.

1. Develop a post-pandemic life plan. This can bring a sense of focus and clarity that helps dispel or lessen the uncertainty where anxiety breeds. It can include planning to retain, where feasible, elements of pandemic life that you’ve come to enjoy, from simple things like continuing to have groceries delivered, to more complicated ones like keeping your commitments and to-do list lighter.

Amanda Stemen recommends that you develop this plan in line with your personal values. “If that includes maintaining a slower pace of life and/or spending more quality time with a close circle of loved ones, make choices that continue to support that,” advises Stemen, a licensed therapist and owner of FUNdaMENTAL Growth, a therapy, coaching and consulting business in Los Angeles. “The choices might be difficult, such as quitting a job or not reconnecting with certain friends, but ultimately the more we live in line with our values the less anxiety we’ll experience overall.”

2. Engage in journaling. This involves writing down anything and everything that’s on your mind, especially matters that are troubling you, says Pareen Sehat, a registered clinical counselor and certified mental health professional with Canada-based Well Beings Counselling. “I believe there’s nothing more effective than journaling to overcome the fear and anxiety of going back to normal in the current circumstances,” proclaims Sehat. “This will clear your mind of all the fears and will direct your thoughts to a path that leads to a brighter destination.”

“There’s nothing more effective than journaling to overcome the fear and anxiety of going back to normal,” says Pareen Sehat (pictured), a registered clinical counselor.

3. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. It can be highly therapeutic. Utter notes that the mindfulness app Headspace can help.

“Mindfulness allows us to recognize what we have control over (ourselves and our responses) and what we don’t have control over (pretty much everything else),” says Stemen, “so that we can make the best decisions to move ourselves forward. Mindfulness also gets us out of our heads where we’re telling ourselves stories that may or may not be true. Those stories can negatively impact our lives.”

4. Give meditation a go. Meditation can help reduce stress, control anxiety, promote emotional health and lead to enhanced self-awareness and a broader perspective that, among other things, will help you achieve mindfulness. This article has 12 good tips for meditation beginners. Few things to keep in mind: As you start trying to meditate, take a few minutes to wind down first and begin with slow deep breaths to calm the body. Find a quiet space to meditate in, try not to fidget, and, as you go forward, simply breathe.

5. Take it slow. Decide what tasks you’re most interested in returning to in the “post-pandemic” world and start integrating them back into your routines one at a time, says Dr. Jeremy Enzor, a faculty member at Walden University and certified counselor with 14 years of clinical experience in community mental health and private practice.

“If the thought of going full-force back into your pre-COVID life is overwhelming, take small steps to where you want to be,” adds Kellie Brown, licensed mental health counselor and owner of Quiet Water Counseling in Florida. “Maybe you miss hanging with all your friends on a Friday night, but the thought of seeing everyone at one time is too much. If so, think about scheduling a smaller event with just one or two people at a time. You don’t have to jump right back into your previous social life right away.”

6. Prep for the new workday routine. One thing eating at a lot of folks is the prospect of returning to in-office work after a year of working from home. If an in-office return is something you’re not keen on but can’t avoid, Dr. Andrew Mendonsa, a California-based clinical and forensic psychologist, suggests that you practice your former morning and work routine every day. “If you know you’re due to return to the workplace in a month, start soon by waking up as if you need to in order to grab a train or commute to work,” Mendonsa advises. “Re-form these habits as much as possible to avoid shell shock when ‘the day’ comes. Be sure to build in mental health breaks throughout the day when you do return to work.”

7. Reduce news watching and social media time. “Take your news in small chunks – get what you need regarding updates and weather and tap-out,” says Utter. “The same applies with social media platforms. If you notice your heart racing and your brow sweating while scrolling through feeds, then shut them down.”

Try progressive muscle relaxation, advises Dr. Tasha Holland-Kornegay (pictured). This method consists of intentionally putting tension on the muscles and then intentionally releasing the tension.

8. Perform tasks that require simple repetition. Certain tasks that require repetitive activity can soothe the nerves and thus be worth engaging in when anxiety mounts, says Dr. Tasha Holland-Kornegay, a licensed clinical mental health clinician and founder of Wellness In Real Life. “You could try to shred some papers, vacuum your car or even repetitively recite a certain phrase that gives you some hope or positivity,” Holland-Kornegay notes. Relatedly, studies show that “when repeating spiritual phrases, individuals were able to cope more effectively with stress, anxiety and tension,” she says.

9. Express an attitude of gratitude. “As we continue to face the consequences of COVID-19, we can practice exercising control over what we focus on in our lives,” says Manny D. Castro, a licensed psychotherapist currently in clinical practice within a large New York City hospital. “An attitude of gratitude can help protect us from the negative effects of adversity. In practice, this can, for example, involve expressing gratitude to your loved ones for what they add to your life.”

10. Try progressive muscle relaxation. “This method consists of intentionally putting tension on the muscles and then intentionally releasing the tension,” says Holland-Kornegay. “It helps reduce anxiety and relieves tension. Sit in a comfortable position, breathe a couple of times, tense the muscles on one of your feet by squeezing as tight as possible, hold on at this position for up to 10 seconds and then release it. Take 30 seconds to breathe and relax; then, shift to the second foot, and so forth.”

11. Take care of yourself physically. Exercise regularly. Get sufficient sleep. Eat a healthy diet. Don’t overdo caffeine and alcohol. All this can make you feel better. These things may seem self-evident, but actually enacting them is easier said than done. Remind yourself of their importance and have a plan for living these strategies. Relatedly, notes Holland-Kornegay, ensure you’re getting enough magnesium, which helps with energy and stress levels. She says women need 300mg per day and men need 350mg. Supplements are available.

12. Seek professional help. If worrying thoughts and feelings become overwhelming and you’re struggling to cope, it could be time to get help from a mental health professional. In some ways, this is easier than ever, as telehealth options have proliferated, meaning you can engage in therapy sessions without leaving home. Talkspace, for instance, is one of your online therapy options.