‘The 6 month mark in any sustained crisis is always difficult. We have all adjusted to this "new normal", but might now feel like we're running out of steam. Yet, at best, we are only one third the way through this marathon. How can we keep going?’
This was the question posed by Dr Aisha Ahmad on Twitter last weekend, an associate professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto who by her own admission ‘always’ hits a wall six months into ‘a tough assignment in a disaster zone’.
Likening her cyclical struggle to our global battle with coronavirus, Ahmad’s tweet went viral as she went on to explain why, even though many of us feel hopeless as Covid-19 cases rise again and lockdown restrictions tighten, there is no need to despair.
‘First, in my experience, this is a very normal time to struggle or slump,’ she explained. ‘I always hit a wall 6 months into a tough assignment in a disaster zone. The desire to "get away" or "make it stop" is intense. I've done this many times, and at 6 months, it's like clockwork. This time, our crisis is global and there is nowhere to run. That's OK. I've had to power through that 6 month hump before and there is life on the other side. Right now, it feels like we looking ahead at long, dark wintery tunnel. But it's not going to be like that.’
Reassuring her followers, Dr Ahmad explained that we should consider the coming six months as ‘our next major adaption phase’ as opposed to a hopeless second lockdown. ‘We've already re-learned how to do groceries, host meetings, and even teach classes. And we have found new ways to be happy and have fun. But as the days get shorter and colder, we need to be ready to innovate again.’
While she, like all of us, has never experienced a pandemic on this scale before, she noted that she has particular expertise in giving advice on the ‘six month wall’ having dealt with such a crushing feeling so often.
Easing anxiety and offering hope, she explained that feeling up against a wall is ‘normal’ and that feeling will ‘break naturally in about four to six weeks’, confirming there is no need to try and ‘ram your head through it’ in an effort to be productive.
‘There are things we have to do,’ she said. ‘Work. Teach. Cook. Exercise. But just don't expect to be sparklingly happy or wildly creative in the middle of your wall. Right now, if you can meet you obligations and be kind to your loved ones, you get an A+.’
The six-month wall is not permanent, nor will it define you in this period of adversity.
‘Don't be afraid that your happiness and creativity are gone for the rest of this marathon,’ Dr. Ahmad continued. ‘Not true. I assure you that it will soon break and you will hit a new stride. But today, roll with it. Clear away less challenging projects. Read a novel. Download that meditation app.’
Encouraging followers to give themselves a ‘mental or figurative short leave’, she also advised that while we cannot physically escape coronavirus, taking short mental escapes will offer respite from the everyday struggle. Essentially, with the six month wall arriving and dissipating like clockwork, as she says, it’s imperative to prioritise our mental and emotional health rather than beating ourselves up for not feeling productive or happy.
‘We have navigated a harrowing global disaster for 6 months, with resourcefulness and courage,’ she said. ‘We have already found new ways to live, love, and be happy under these rough conditions. A miracle and a marvel. This is hard proof that we have what it takes to keep going.’
Her hopeful words couldn’t have come at a better time. This morning, the government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, warned that the UK could see another 50,000 new coronavirus cases each day by mid-October if restrictions don’t tighten further.
‘At the moment we think the epidemic is doubling roughly every seven days,’ he explained. ‘If, and that's quite a big if, but if that continues unabated, and this grows doubling every seven days... if that continued you would end up with something like 50,000 cases in the middle of October per day.50,000 cases per day would be expected to lead a month later, so the middle of November say, to 200-plus deaths per day.
‘The challenge, therefore, is to make sure the doubling time does not stay at seven days,’ Sir Vallance continued. ‘That requires speed, it requires action and it requires enough in order to be able to bring that down.’
With that in mind, it’s important to take Dr. Ahmad’s words seriously and allow yourself to breathe despite the harrowing statistics. ‘Do not despair of the 6 month wall,’ she advised. ’It's not permanent, nor will it define you in this period of adversity. Trust that the magic that helped you through the first phase is still there. Take a breath and a pause. You'll be on the other side in no time.’
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