In the last week or so, I feel my mood has improved. The anticipation of reaching the end of the current phase of the pandemic — the lock down — has flowered into being witness to the tangible activities of things opening up. The earlier period was marked by frustration, the understanding that the lock down would end, but with uncertainty as to when. I found I was less interested in doing things; my exercise regime slowed. The continued cold weather didn’t help. This period is what psychologists call the Third Quarter Phenomenon:
The third quarter phenomenon refers to the decline in performance during the third quarter of missions in isolated, confined, and extreme environments, regardless of actual mission duration. This can be observed through changes in cognitive and interpersonal behavior, and an increase in reported negative experiences and undesirable mood states.
Yet, if opening the doors of the lock down is the end of the game, I know that this is just the first game in a long season. No doubt there will be more third quarters to come.
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