Restrictions are set to ease. With it, the hope of weekends with friends, of camping, of being with others, of diving under a wave, of picnics, of weekend brunches, of holding onto normality and never letting go. A pinch of normality seems just around the corner.

Yet for many of us, even these pleasurable and long anticipated activities will require re-adjustment, something that is often difficult for our mental health. We’ve become accustomed to living without them.  For many others, the loosening of restrictions brings with it worry or at least uncertainty, especially for those with pre-existing ailments, anxiety or medical vulnerabilities.

One of the ways I’ve been passing the time during this lockdown is by listening to podcasts. I recently heard of a podcast with an interesting premise that has stuck with me. It is a podcast that invites two expert guests to speak about their opposing views on a big social issue. The twist is that before a person starts to argue their own perspective, they must first present the most generous, charitable version of their opponent’s argument. In this conversation, understanding and perspective-taking precedes persuasion. I think this premise could also be a game changer for handling conflicts in our relationships.

During lockdown, it can feel like productivity is drained away, as we spend more time than ever on screens, have less opportunities to see the people we care about, and parts of our daily and weekly rhythms are disrupted. To help, we’ve put together a ‘Done List’,...