GQ:
I wanted to ask you about the “fresh start effect” this idea that we’re better at changing our behavior when we begin a new “chapter,” say after a move or a new job because coming out of the pandemic strikes me as a fresh start in some ways. You talk about a fresh start being good for kick starting new habits, but potentially disruptive to habits you’ve already established and don’t want to break. What advice do you have for people who have created new routines they don’t want to lose post-pandemic?
Katy Milkan: So the first thing is awareness. This has been a grand experiment that seems like a heartless way to describe something that s been so awful, but it has been, in a sense. We had to try things we never would have tried: Zoom meetings, different ways of getting our physical activity in, interacting differently with our children or our partners. So that has hopefully taught us things that we like better that we never would have discovered, and probably also
Four Lessons From Your Anxious Brain
Pandemic life has saddled us with lots of conflicting emotions. Here’s how to cope with feelings of uncertainty and make a fresh start.
Credit.Nathalie Lees
Feeling unsettled? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Welcome to the summer of 2021.
I asked thousands of New York Times readers of all ages to share how they’re feeling right now. The most common answers revealed the mixed feelings of the past 14 months: unsettled, anxious, overwhelmed, frazzled, tired, hopeful, optimistic, stressful, exhausted, excited.
Some readers said just one word was not enough to describe how they’re feeling.
“Bored, anxious, hopeful all at once. Is there a word for that?” asked one reader.
The Challenge
Your daily tooth-brushing routine is a great opportunity to schedule a new goal. Today, try doing calf raises, squats or lunges for a burst of exercise while you brush your teeth. Use the time to meditate by focusing on the taste of the toothpaste and sound of the water. Or schedule push-ups, a wall sit or yoga for after you’ve finished.
Why Am I Doing This?
Picking a time and place for a new goal makes it far more likely that you’ll do it. Keep it simple by bundling your new goal to a consistent habit you already have. Brushing your teeth, enjoying your morning coffee, coming home after work, sitting down for dinner and getting ready for bed are all daily rituals that present great opportunities for scheduling a new habit.
Need a reset? The end of pandemic life can be a fresh start
SECTIONS
Need a reset? The end of pandemic life can be a fresh startBy Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times
Last Updated: May 11, 2021, 10:37 AM IST
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Synopsis
One of the biggest obstacles to change has always been the fact that we tend to have established routines that are hard to break. But the pandemic shattered many people’s routines, setting us up for a reset,
New York Times
While some people did develop healthy new habits during lockdowns, it’s not too late if you spent your pandemic days just getting by.