Lessons from Lockdown
A virus made us value the things we took for granted ðŸ¦
Since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, life came to a standstill like never before in peacetime. We are no longer under normal circumstances. There has been a lockdown, stay at home, quarantine order throughout the globe. The virus is out on the loose, with no cure available yet. Capsized travel plans, indefinite isolation, panic over resources and social media overload could be a recipe for unchecked anxiety as we stay confined within four walls. It’s been almost 5 months, this pandemic has changed how we live our lives. Everyone is trying their hands at coping up with the spiral of negative thoughts about this uncertain time.
As of this writing, my life has been a mixed bag. I left the city I used to work in to come to my hometown just in time before the official lockdown began. Shifting to working from home full time has been pretty hard in terms of finding a routine, collaborating with teammates, avoiding distractions, maintaining (trying to?) work-life balance. As I enter the fifth month of this uncertain time, I have begun to contemplate life after lockdown, the new normal as they say. Of course, I am acutely conscious and grateful that my reflections about this future come along with my privileged status which disconnects me from millions out there who are struggling to get a meal today. I am so far removed from their reality, but I believe that everyone has their own set of problems and they have all the right to feel bad about them. It’s incorrect to compare and weigh down the issues others are facing because they don’t seem as big as someone else’s.
I still remember my fury at the sudden announcement of lockdown with no time to prepare for the coming weeks. Thanks to my company declaring WFH a week before and my wise decision to come back to my hometown just in time, I was with my family during this period. I witnessed the sheer incompetence and callousness of the city authorities in ensuring essential services. We had no fresh vegetable or fruit supply for more than 30 days. While some of you might be spending time honing the MasterChef in you, I was struggling with food essentials. I must agree, the pandemic has also disproportionately impacted low-income families and racial minorities. The poor losing their livelihood, struggling to migrate to their hometown, the harried images of harassment and ethnic violence all over just show that apart from its unprecedented scale, this lockdown is playing out in ways that are very different from past crises.
When this all started around March, I had hoped it’s a temporary thing and it was going to get back to normal by the end of the month or so. But given the current situation, the possibility of that has been ruled out till the end of 2020. Thanks to the accessibility to social media and the internet all across, I’m connected to my friends and family online over WhatsApp, Zoom, Facebook, Houseparty, Uno, Scrabble, etc. Weekend party scenes have changed to Weekend video calls and playing codenames and Pictionary. Despite all of this, I miss their physical presence. I miss going to restaurants, malls, theaters, gym. I miss traveling! 😔
The silver lining is that people have gotten more appreciative of the things they have, local vendors, frontline forces, and the internet. We have more time to spend with our families, we don’t crib about the hassle of everyday traffic and maybe find slightly more time to sleep. Here are some of the things that I have learned during this lockdown:
1. Relationships are important: Man is a social animal and being connected with friends and family is a key to happiness. We should utilize this time to call our cousins, relatives, friends who we earlier couldn’t because of lack of time. Talking and recalling happy memories bring positivity in life. The emotional high and sense of connection we get by spending time with others, be it virtual, is so wonderful.
2. Mental health shouldn’t be ignored: Due to this global pandemic, everyone is experiencing increased stress. The risk of becoming sick, losing our jobs, inadequate supplies, being stuck at home, not being productive, not being able to match social media standards, loneliness and boredom are frustrating and frightening. We need to slow down and find new ways to manage anxiety and practice self-care. Meditation, journaling, healthy food, music, art, staying connected to people you love can be a few of them. I personally love watching youtube videos and listen to podcasts to keep me motivated.
3. Take care of your body: We need to eat healthily and take care of our physical well being. Moving our body and breaking a sweat also improves mood and alleviates depression. Though it might be tough as we can’t access our regular gym, classes or jog out. But there are various in-home options like yoga, jumping rope, dancing, pilates, bodyweight training, etc. Thanks to the internet, there are many home workout YouTube tutorials and blogs to help you get started. Try to do anything that you enjoy and stay regular.
4. It’s not a productivity contest: Since the lockdown began, there’s been a social pressure to utilize this time to learn new things, improving on skills, taking challenges like reading, cooking, working out, etc. It gets very overwhelming but we should remember that surviving and staying positive is the biggest fight right now. We need to acknowledge that it’s a pandemic and we are going through a lot, taking a break is important. There’s no need to feel guilty for not participating in this productivity race. There is more to our time on this planet than just getting things done.
5. Manage screen time and avoid social media burnout: While the internet and social media is the need of the hour and is one of the many things that has helped us through this tough time, it also has a lot of devastating side effects. Spending too much time on screen not only affects eyes, but it might also cause headaches, neck, shoulder and thumb pain. Social media has also been a source of anxiety and causes a lot of pressure and fear of missing out amongst us. We see how people are utilizing time and being productive, the overload of which, instead of inspiring, makes us feel useless and incompetent. Not only this, but the over-abundance of noxious fake news being circulated on various platforms is also hitting the country harder than the pandemic itself.
6. Stay organized and plan for the future: While we were struggling to get the basic essentials, I realized the importance of strategizing and being organized. Our moms have a habit of planning for meals ahead of time, stocking up essentials, keeping emergency supplies, saving for the future and I realized the importance of it only now. This planning, making lists and time management goes for everything and not just cooking. Now that shopping in the mall, getting hair spa done and daily house help for cooking or doing the dishes isn’t accessible anymore, I’ve learned to live with less stuff or conveniences than I had become accustomed to.
7. The joy of helping others: Suffering through this time has taught me the importance of helping the less privileged or needy. People have lost jobs, not everyone has access to health care, and many people are living at the edge of poverty. Amidst all this, if you can in any way help someone, it will bring you so much positivity. It need not be restricted to financial help in the form of charity or loan, you can donate food and supplies, support the local businesses, help people connect with job opportunities, feed the stray animals, or simply hit like/subscribe for someone’s post or video and make their day! 😊
While we are all still withering in this storm, we should deeply acknowledge the unnamed warriors who are on the frontline fighting this battle courageously for our safety and well being. As we face tremendous uncertainty, staying hopeful amidst this dark time is the necessity. Finding peace in the fact that you are doing your part to flatten the curve, will help fight this crisis. So make sure you wear a mask, maintain social distance and stay safe!
