Experts suggest tips on how to set goals and get ready for 2022

In a prepandemic world we were raised to believe that no matter what the show must go on An invisible virus shattered that delusion with sudden lockdowns and restrictions bringing our lives to a halt and reminding us that sometimes itrsquos necessary to pause reflect and restrategise Before we head into 2022 experts share a roadmap of lessons learnt from the past two years suggestions for the future and the reminder to be kind to ourselvesFind activities that both of you enjoy it can help ease tensions when you are lockedin togetherRelationshipsCouple of changesWhile for some couples the pandemic offered the time to get to know one another better for many it led to loss of privacy personal space and novelty With life offering a semblance of normalcy now the threat of another wave next year can take a further toll on couples says relationship counsellor Swapnil Pange ldquoFor those who had trouble adjusting to the loss of space itrsquos important that they assertively communicate their needsrdquo explains Pange Those in longdistance relationships should take things one day at a time Here are a few tipsgtgt Your relationship may have undergone changes during the pandemic So realise that and do not expect it to go back to the way it was Increased stress during the pandemic may disturb physical intimacyTalk to each other about itgtgt Allow each other to experience metimePange notes that people have started using the virtual medium excessively to express their love a trend thatrsquos likely to continue ldquoWersquore seeing that more and more daters habituated to this are avoiding facetoface contact especially singles exploring online dating It can lead to impulsive commitmentsrdquoFitnessHealth firstExercises that involve moving the spine are good for tackling postural stressNamita Piparaiya a yoga and Ayurveda lifestyle specialist and the founder of Yoganama reckons that the two crucial areas that will deserve attention in the coming year especially for working professionals are mental and postural stress Both can take a toll on our productivity and cognitive skills A powerful remedy for mental stress is breath work ldquoBalloonbreathing doublebreathing or yogic techniques such as vibhaga pranayama are suitable for beginners and can be done multiple times a dayrdquo she elucidates The fitness expert stresses on the need to dedicate at least an hour to psychological relaxation mdash through exercise walks music therapy reading and the like mdash in a day ldquoWhen it comes to our posture itrsquos best to incorporate a variety of yoga asanas in our daily routine especially poses that move the spine in different directions These include cobra locust triangle catcow twists and forwardbending posesrdquoItrsquos also important to identify the early signs of stress and burnout to prevent them from worsening these include lack of motivation fatigue loss of interest inability to focus and appetite changes ldquoThese are common repercussions of not listening to our bodies and not making time for recovery Dedicating time for yoga pranayama and meditation can strengthen your body and mind for dealing with the unpredict challenges of the new yearrdquoMental WellnessEye on anxietyBoth 2020 and 2021 have shined a light on the importance of mental health and in the new year too the lived experience of the pandemic will continue to affect our mental wellbeing points out clinical psychologist counsellor and psychotherapist Priyanka Varma ldquoThere is an increase in the number of people reporting severe symptoms of anxiety that didnrsquot exist prior to Covid19rdquo notes the founder of mental health platform The Thought Co In the new year with restrictions easing and possibly more children heading back to school after nearly two years their social skills will be an area of concern ldquoChildren have been struggling with finding ways to develop social skills through the pandemicrdquo she explains In case of another lockdown parents will once again have to prepare to engage and educate their kids at home which might lead to additional stress for them Moreover with a lot of professionals reporting that theyrsquore feeling stuck in their careers many might be pushed to change their profession move cities and make unexpected life choices Varma saysProfessional LifeBeing workwiseHaving worked through several months of lockdown which blurred the lines between personal and professional spaces the key focus for most working professionals in 2022 will be on physical and mental wellbeing family and personal interests believes Rhea Punjabi a career growth coach ldquoThere will also be a shift to smaller towns or quieter areas to maintain onersquos sanity and balance and focus on learning new skills that generate additional sources of income and help in groomingrdquo Among other changes in the new year Punjabi feels that quite a few permanent remote roles are likely to open upEmployees are likely to have more flexibility to decide where they want to work fromldquoFlexibility is what 2022 is all about Employees may also be given the opportunity to choose the type of work WFH WFO or hybrid they prefer We may possibly move towards fourday weeks We may see hotdesking in hybrid formats or for that matter companies might entirely give up offices and depend on coworking spacesrdquo As remote hiring isnrsquot as effective it can lead to a trend of reskilling current employees to address the shortage ldquoWith the change in the meaning of success employers will need to find creative ways to retain talentrdquo she notesFoodJust like medicineEating healthy can help build immunityTherersquos been a reported increase in stresseating ordering in or eating out and untimely meals which have resulted in gut issues According to nutritionist and lifestyle educator Karishma Chawla a lot of people might hence move towards healing diets and homecooked food ldquoI see people willing to make the effort to adopt cleaner eating habits in 2022 rather than indulging in processed foodsrdquo With immunity becoming a buzzword she suggests people take care of their gut microbiome mdash the bugs responsible for maintaining your cholesterol managing blood sugar levels regularising bowels aiding detoxification and increasing immunityChawla insists on the following to deal with a sudden lockdown and to prevent from falling back into unhealthy eating habitsgtgt Plan and prepare Make a list of healthy food items and stock them at home in advancegtgt Prepare a weekly menugtgt Encourage one another to eat food that is good for your health