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It’s not getting easier, is it?

It’s been an odd sort of day, after an odd sort of weekend. Various announcements and explanations about what has changed, what will change, what might change, and what hasn’t changed.

Some differences too, across the four nations of the United Kingdom. Differing views about that too – too many differences, too few differences, the wrong differences, the right differences, there should be no differences at all.

And how to react to all this? For some, the response is keep calm and carry on. For others, it’s much ado about nothing. Others yet will say, too little too late; and others again will counter with, too much too soon. Some will say, what is it that I’m supposed to do now?

As with many other things, it really depends on who you are and where you are, on the whole context of your circumstances. My advice is to give it a little time to settle, if you can. Both the Scottish and UK governments have said that there may be more to come during the week.

But I wanted to notice something underlying. Thinking about my family, friends and work and professional contacts, I notice that more people are finding this harder as it goes on. This manifests itself in different ways

I see evidences of stress and anxiety becoming more pronounced. I notice some people finding the different ways of working more taxing as time goes by. I know of vulnerable isolated people becoming more isolated and perhaps returning to old and harmful habits.

The fact that this lockdown would cause harm has been recognised and acknowledged. That harm spreads across many areas including physical and mental wellbeing, personal safety, the economy, and education. This we know.

But the reality is real, if you’ll pardon the repetition – and it’s here and it’s now. It’s made me wonder, as an individual, if I need to rebalance my time a bit. I’m fortunate to have plenty of work to do because that’s a help and I enjoy it.

But do I need to spend a little less time on thinking, and discussion, and meetings, and writing and advice, and a bit more in just checking that people are ok? I can’t do much, but maybe a conversation would help. At least the offer shows that someone is interested.

What about you? If any of this resonates, maybe you could rebalance a bit in favour of yourself. I know that could be hard. I don’t have to look after school age children. I can work flexibly. I don’t have to go out of my house to work – perhaps at some risk to my own safety.

You know your own circumstances. I don’t pretend to. But I do know that, as you are needed now, so also you will be needed later. Looking after yourself is an investment not just in now, but in the future. If you are finding it tough, you are not odd, or strange, or out of step.

Give yourself a break, if you can. If you are due a day off work, take it. You won’t regret it. And if you think that you should ask someone how they are getting on, just to see if they are ok, do that too, if you can. You won’t regret that either – and neither will they.