When the COVID-19 Outbreak began in China, we never thought it could also reach us one day. We only thought of it as an epidemic in China (although we knew it was killing many people there) but we did not care much except for avoiding the Chinese. We thought that it was a disease that belonged to them and only the Chinese were torchbearers of COVID-19. Not even in our wildest dreams had we imagined that it would turn out to be what we see today; a fear of uncertainty and death around the world.
When it started reaching our doorsteps, we did feel chills running down our spine. When those we knew started dying in the hospitals’ ICU gasping for oxygen, we realized that the s**t had now gotten real. We needed to do something about it right now and right away. Since there existed (and still does not exist) any treatment for COVID-19, the only solution was maintaining good hygiene and social distancing. All of us became Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory at whom we laughed for his OCD. We were not left with a choice anymore. Were we?
Since social distancing was the only available remedy for COVID-19 till then, we knew that staying home was the only way out. We could no longer live our normal lives and had to become the part of a bigger scheme which was meant to protect ourselves and everyone around us. We still are not.
Many countries are currently in lockdown and people are staying at home as much as they can.
Coming from the times where people are made to feel they are ‘productive’ at all times, there also started social media trends about ‘how to stay productive during the quarantine.’ While many people suggested the others to write books, many also insisted on using this time to acquire a new skill or probably learn a new language. New fitness goals were set and even the celebrities started encouraging people to follow the trend. Just sitting home in a panic and gorging on all the available snacks was no more a choice. You had to be ‘productive’ enough even in the days of a global pandemic like COVID-19 which was costing the entire world lives on a daily basis.
Now there is an added stress. While battling with the finances and the panic that has engulfed the world in the days of a global pandemic, you also have to stay productive at all costs.
To be honest, these pressures are not new to most of us especially the women. We have always struggled with balancing perfection in all walks of life no matter what the circumstances are. We come from a generation which is literally paranoid about feeling ‘bored.’ There has to be something going on all time even in the most unfavourable and unpleasant times. But little do we realize that these are the days of a global pandemic. We are in a lockdown because this is the only safety blanket we have at the moment. Why do we need to be ‘productive’ and create a masterpiece (be it our body or life) despite waking up to the news of people dying across the world? Is our mental health less important than this constant pressure of ‘creating’ something at all times?
COVID-19 Outbreak is probably the hardest time we have seen in our lifetimes as a global community. We know that right now no place is safe. We cannot even book a flight to run away from all this madness. We know our coping mechanisms are far and few, Hence, it is alright to finish that candy jar while feeling anxious staying home and waiting for a piece of bad news. Life is not what it has always been. It might never be the same. Hence, it is alright to be a little less productive and not to run after goals, at least for now.
Keep calm and put your feet up. It is alright for now.
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