How Covid-19 has changed our behaviour

The year 2020 was one we won’t be forgetting in a hurry for many reasons. It has etched its name in history and our lives for good. We can all agree that the stress of living through the unexpected pandemic changed our perspective about a lot of things. For example, 68% of shoppers in the world today are ardent online shoppers. Rather than go out shopping, more people prefer to spend the day in their pajamas and shop from the comfort of their living room. 

While some may have found it easy to blend into the whole lockdown situation, the anxiety, depression and stress levels in the world today have amplified. The pandemic affected the mental health of many of us and triggered behaviours that we weren’t used to. With it lingering far longer than anyone predicted, these behaviours have become somewhat normalised. 

As humans, we have needs such as approval, security, control, purpose, and achievement. These things and the way we think affect the way we feel and therefore drives our behaviour. When any one of these is missing in our lives we tend to feel more vulnerable. The pandemic took away our control somehow, we had no power over where we went, we had to wear masks, we had to stay indoors. For people who weren’t used to this way of life, it became a chore to adjust. 

Many people lost their connections to others and are now finding it difficult to rebuild their networks. The imposed social distancing rule sent one-third of the world running indoors for fear of getting contaminated. This isolation led to chronic loneliness and caused a lot of people to lose life’s meaning. The deliberate and indeliberate withdrawal from the outside world to avoid threat have led to even lesser social interactions today.

Depression and anxiety have been on the rise as many either lost a loved one, lost their jobs, have become overworked or simply have nothing to do. This is triggering mental health conditions in many more people around the world as well as increasing existing conditions. 

Social anxiety has also been on the rise since lockdown restrictions relaxed. The uncertainty of our current life has put  everyone in a state of constant stress. Today, a large number of young adults report symptoms of depression, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. When we try to relax, we wake up to the threat of a variant, so we run back into our shells. Sleeping is important for our wellbeing and mental health.

We now have more people working from home as during the pandemic organisations and businesses realised that everything that needs to be done in the office can also be done within the four corners of anyone’s home. The uncertainty of current life has also introduced change in our buying behaviours, the fun of shopping physically has been replaced by the fear of being in large gatherings so many people now prefer to shop from home.

Depression, stress  and anxiety has been largely associated with insomnia, hence the rise in the lack of sleep many people face today. 

It’s normal to feel anxious and scared as things are returning back to normal. As our behaviors change and we figure out how to settle into our new life, now more than ever we need a hand to guide us through. If you find that the change has become too much to handle, it’s time to seek help from a mental health professional and a life coach. It’s always better to walk some paths with someone rather than alone.

A life coach who is trained in NLP/modern psychotherapy can help you to identify areas of change and help you to reclaim your life, using a range of tools and techniques. Life coaching is results and goal focused, helping to put you back in the driver's seat and in control of your life. You can expect to feel empowered and break away from any unwanted behaviours and thought patterns, creating lifelong change and a future full of hope, happiness and fulfilment.