Some internal border restrictions within Western Australia were eased last week, creating four regions replacing the previous seven. This weekend almost all borders will be relaxed within WA except the state border. The closed state border between Western Australia and the rest of Australia will still be in place. Cafes and restaurants have mainly re-opened with limits on the number of customers and the time they can stay. Some libraries and swimming pools have re-opened and some gyms. Many people have gone back to work in their offices. Social distancing is still prescriptive but we can move more around our own part of the state.
We live in Perth, the smallest but most densely populated region. My mother also lives in this region, towards Bunbury, also on the coast.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
So how will things be when all restrictions are lifted? Dr Tim Sharp *, founder of the Happiness Institute believes less time commuting and more time at home has resulted in many people re-assessing their lives. Slowing down and more family contact means a clearer idea about what is important. Lots families are living calmer lives without the daily commute, the frantic school drop off and masses of after-school obligations. They enjoying more time together. Many parents have developed a greater appreciation for the job done by teachers after a few weeks of home schooling. People are discovering they not only save time but money, too, not commuting, buying lunch and coffee and being tempted by shops.
Australians work an average of 4.6 hour of unpaid overtime every week.¹ They have 146 million days of annual leave unused at the end of 2019.² Enforced downtime might be the perfect opportunity to assess how you and your family live, to decide what is really important and to consider changes.
Many families, strained by the pressures of work and home life have probably realised that spending more time with their families has brought their household routines into focus. Good relationships with family and friends result in good health, happiness and life satisfaction. Are you happy with how you live?
Life after CV-19 will be different. Many people I know want to continue working from home most of the time, some want to reduce their work hours and several are reconsidering their children’s after school activities. I remember the frantic rush of after school activities when we were both working but the responsibility for arranging and transporting to and from these activities was entirely mine.
We are both retired now and went into self isolation early. I have watched with interest as families go bike riding together, go for long walks with their dogs, just like we do, and also enjoy verge and driveway gatherings with neighbours. A neighbour talks about the new routines she and her family are developing and I can see how that makes them feel connected as a family. I think some good will come out of this terrible pandemic. What do you think?
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF U.N. PEACEKEEPERS 29/05/2020
The focus of the International Day of U.N. Peacekeepers this year is Women in Peacekeeping: A Key To Peace, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Security Council resolution on Women, Peace and Security.
This is an opportunity to recognise and pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian women who make an invaluable contribution to the ongoing work of the United Nations.
* Dr Tim Sharp https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=dr+tim+sharp%2C+the+happiness+institute The Happiness Institute De Tim Sharp writes about being happy, making choices and living the life that really resonates with you.
(¹) https://www.tai.org.au/content/go-home-time-day-2019-australian-employers-pocketing-81-billion-worth-unpaid-overtime-report
(²) http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8221-annual-leave-holidays-december-2019-201912092209
Images and graphic content courtesy Dept Premier and Cabinet, WA and Pixabay