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Maybe you are working from home, perhaps you have suddenly lost your job, or your goals for study or travel are fast disappearing into thin air. Whatever it is for you, what is certain is that in the blink of an eye, the comfort of our old lives has disappeared. And although the motto, ‘change is the only constant’ might slip easily from our lips, we secretly know that the only changes we really embrace are changes for the better. This isn’t one of those times.

What can make it harder is the torrent of advice and bright ideas about how we should be spending all this time at home we didn’t want. You could do a course online, or lean into various passions, be they your next business or hobby. You could probably write a film script (plenty of material at hand) or do some other Big Thing. If this is you, woo hoo! You’re about to be very productive.

However, if you find yourself lacking your usual energy, unable to think clearly or becoming indecisive, this is a completely normal reaction too. Nothing is as sure as it was even a week ago and the immediate future looks pretty tough. If this is you, soothe yourself and ramp up your self care. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Take the time you need to make your bedroom or home a safe haven. Indulge in domestic routines that nurture, be they cooking, organising cupboards or talking to your cat. Also, put some clear boundaries in place if you have friends or family less committed to social isolating than you are. Now is the time to make it clear you won’t be seeing them any time soon.

Finally, on a regular basis, stop and ask yourself, ‘how is this for me? What do I need now?’ Then find small ways to give yourself what you need. You’ve got this. This too will pass, and there is plenty to look forward to – plan something fun you will do when it’s over if this helps. Your energy and enthusiasm will be back and all the sooner if you can relax and be where you find yourself.

Kathryn Brewer is a resilience coach based in Adelaide