We are currently living in unprecedented times. Schools and colleges are just completely shut, research being slowed or stopped, corporate offices have shifted to “work from home”, and small and medium-sized businesses are on halt due to existing lockdown. It is absolutely normal if you are overwhelmed, with the current situation and the sudden changes taking place around us. However, with life at a halt, we must realize that we are in the respective critical points of our lives. Some of you must be in the final year of your graduate schooling, some of you must be working to get onto the peak of their careers. The clock is always ticking. It will be detrimental for you if you blame yourself for not being as productive as you used to be. Just remind yourself that everyone around is experiencing a drop in their productivity. It is a high time we shift gear and shift from hard work to smart work, in a creative way.
The Pressure
For a past couple of months, I have been seeing this one peculiar post on various social media platforms and especially on LinkedIn which reads “If you fail to come out of this quarantine without a new skill, your new hustle started, or more knowledge gained, then you never lacked time. You lacked discipline”.
What do you feel after you have read this? Do you feel motivated for signing up for a new online course immediately? Do you feel like picking up that book that you have been meaning to? Or instead, do you feel bad about the time that has passed and you have not accomplished enough?
It is easy to say that “We are in this together” (another phrase which is prevalent and I am sure you have heard of). But the truth is that we can not generalize whatever is happening as a common experience. People are adjusting to these unprecedented times differently. Some of you out there would be working harder than ever, while others are just worried about losing their job. Like most of us can easily say that we can ensure social distancing and work the same way we used to, but in reality, it is not possible for a lot of people out there. For a fact, most of us are living in the comfort of our homes with our beloved companion and other family members but a great chunk of people around are trying to keep themselves together by themselves.
How to cope?
Only if I could stress on it more, that it is not an “extended summer vacation” so stop reminiscing about school days. Not to forget that it is the time of crisis, that all (including you and me) are experiencing for the first time. The way things used to play in the pre-COVID era need not necessarily work the same way. We see businesses and economies adjusting and shaping themselves to the new reality, so we should also do the same.
In the current context and in reference to the question I posed. There are high chances that the pressure that is being built up is hurting us. It is absolutely fine to take more time to bounce back than others. Each and every one of us is different in our ways.
Acknowledge and accept the mental roadblocks you may be facing while developing new knowledge or new skills. Learn to tackle these roadblocks first, before anything. If it takes to seek professional help, then go ahead. You may seek help through online counseling if you need to, instead of simply shaming yourself for “Wasting time”.
Note to self
Remember that this time is not a divine test of how much productive you are. If you just focus on taking care of your family, loved ones, and emerge from these times as a happy person, that itself is a great goal. It does not matter if you have been spending time doing stuff which will help you add a few more lines to your CV. We have no clue when this situation is going to getting better, all the predictions are falling flat. So remember, invest your time in what appeals to you and what you feel is right for you. Not what society expects you to do. Use this time to look within more than looking at what is outside. Practice active breathing, mindfulness practices, or meditation if that helps you to keep calm and maintain the right composure.
