How to survive the lockdown and how do let it not affect our mental well-being? It is a very tough situation out there, sitting at home we cannot even imagine how things are in the field.
During the lockdown, the frontline workers are still going out every day to save people risking their own lives. Putting their best to minimize the spread of viruses and fear among people.
In this blog, let us try to acknowledge our fears and build some coping mechanisms while we deal with this critical fight against coronavirus and rising fear among people.
How to survive the lockdown and stay sane?
Announcing complete lockdown was a bold step and shutting down a fully functional country was a freaking huge step, but it was necessary, and staying home is the only option we have to save ourselves and save the lives of others. There is a lot of trepidation due to the coronavirus outbreak and too much news revolving around this particular issue, we come across a different version of coronavirus theory every day.
How to survive the lockdown and stay stress-free? While doctors and medical scientists are doing their work, we could keep ourselves safe and others sane by choosing to refrain from spreading our theories. While the lockdown aims to keep people indoors and help break the chain and slow down the virus transmission, it is causing a lot of mental, physical, and emotional distress among the people.
Things are worse we all know that and it was unwarranted for everybody. Maybe this is life’s way of showing us that nothing, means sheer nothing in this whole world is permanent, and just when we think that everything is in our control and keep plans ready for the future, time turns sideways to make us realize its value.
How is lockdown affecting our daily life?
The complete lockdown has massively hit the lifestyle of the entire nation. It has put strict restrictions on all our preferences, even on what we eat and what we do at this time. For the first time in history, it doesn’t matter if you are a celebrity, an IT professional, a housewife, or a daily wage worker, rules are the same for everyone, life stopped where it was, and functionality stopped at its state. All the shops, shopping malls, multiplexes, temple parks, and all the public places have been directed to remain shut until further notice.
Few of the service providers, each and every health care provider, and police officer are still working and the risk of getting contaminated is higher for them. A country with a 130 million population is a huge risk with the very few medical practitioners and hospital services availabilities as per ratio if we enter the community transmission stage, and the fear is such that people reach out to clinics and hospitals even if they experience mild cold or cough.
This all have lead to take staying at home very seriously and not cross the line of safety i.e do not move out of your house and to take precautionary measures, maintain social distance, and follow personal hygiene. Employees are working from home, few are under fear of losing their jobs, few are stuck under various circumstances and few are stuck alone with limited help. Did we ever imagine this?
12 ways lockdown has affected the whole world
We as a society, as a state and as a country have been completely affected due to the outbreak, and with the rising number of cases it is installing a sense of fear within us, how to survive the lockdown, and use it for our benefit? How can we not stress, overthink, and become anxious over the thoughts about being stuck, immobile, and less resourceful? The only way is a diversion. Below mentioned are a few areas which have been badly affected because of the pandemic.
1.) Social distancing leading to disconnection
As a responsible citizen, I am following social distancing and encouraging others but somehow after a month of following it, I feel disconnected when I miss seeing my people in person. It creates a sense of sadness among us.
2.) Isolation leading to depression
How to survive the lockdown amid isolation? Isolation for people like me is bearable as it gives ignition to my creative cells and a room to write in peace, but the majority of individuals cannot bear the thought of staying alone, and it is a very disturbing situation for a claustrophobic person to stay in this environment for a long time.
3.) Work from home raising anxiety levels
Employers can literally go into an overkill to connect and coordinate with employees in work from home situations. It means more phone calls, constantly replying to WhatsApp messages, handling many con calls and video conferences. It can make employees cranky and add to their work from home stress during the lockdown.
4.) Kids feel restricted
Kids are fun-loving, curious, lively, energetic, and enthusiastic, they need constant food for their brain and their energy needs to be channelized in the right direction for them to explore and for us to save ourselves some sanity. How to survive the lockdown with kids? With the decreased mobility, increased lethargy, and sadness, they are bound to get irritated. Managing kids during the lockdown has become another level of a challenge for parents.
5.) The increased workload at home
When everyone is at home the workload had to increase and the majority of the time it is the woman of the house slogging to make sure everything is in order, everyone is well fed and things are in order. With very little help and too much workload, the woman finds herself stressed.
6.) Unavailability of resources
At my place, due to the high number of reported cases and deaths, it is a strictly complete lockdown which means very little access to groceries and daily needs stuffs. It creates a sense of restlessness in the family members especially when you are in a joint family with kids.
7.) Restricted care for Elders
There are many elder couples staying alone in the various parts of the world, the amount of stress they are dealing in this time because of no help, and less availability of resources is a different level of concern. They are usually dependent on others for such help.
8.) The increased challenge for people with mental health conditions
How to survive the lockdown and not fall for it? Those who are already under medications and going through mental illness, this time has bought them an alarming situation wherein people are experiencing an increased level of anxiety and panic attacks.
9.) Question on job security
The nature of the job varies for everyone and thus the functionality, not every job can be suited for a work from home setup. Many of us who are sitting at home with jobs in their right now are living what with the constant fear of losing their job if things continue to get worse.
10.) Financial distress
In the current scenario, when the whole economy is going through a demand depression and unemployment, lowered output and sales, it is bound to jeopardize the growth prospects and economic well being of a large number of people in the country, thus leading to financial distress.
11.) Increased domestic violence
How to survive the lockdown with an abusive company? With the increased number of reported cases against domestic violence, it has been proven that the confinement at home with an abusive person in the face of a father or husband is likely to result in greater physical and emotional violence against women and children with disastrous consequences for their health and well-being for the long term.
12.) The worry of future
The most common worry we all share. Overthinking, procrastination, and simply thinking about what will happen next and how life would be when the lockdown will be open. Will we be able to roam free, eat outside food, go to school/college/job safely? Questions like these keep us occupied causing a lot of disturbance.
Five effective ways to survive the lockdown
Yes, we will get through this. Now when we know the problem, we have to acknowledge it, take charge of it, and regain our lost balance. Just imagine our ancestors have witnessed world wars and have stories to share. My great-grandmom shared her version of partition story with me once and we will be sharing our version of coronafied story someday with our children. We all are worried, under deep tension, and stress but if you let the thought of frustration enter inside your mind once it will take control over your sanity and you will start living in fear and worry, and pass it to your family members as well. Do we want to do that? I am sure no.
Here five basic and effective reminders for you from my side, which I practice and try to maintain my sanity and want you to do the same.
1.) Focus on the solution than the problem
This is the best we can do at the moment, focus on the solution rather than focusing on the problem. Here the solution is that we stay at home, protect ourselves and our family.
2.) Take this time to rework/reinvent
Take this time as an opportunity to re-invent yourself, if you are an entrepreneur who is facing a lot of stress due to things going haywire, take this time to re-plan things and how you can re-structure you work once things normalize. Re-work and take immediate actions for setting an adaptive approach as soon as lockdown gets over.
3.) Structure your day and maintain a routine and establish a new normal
It is very important to structure your day when you are constantly lazying around, lying down, or feeling dull, it adds to your boredom. Please maintain a routine. If last month was our normal then we can form a new normal this month, which will be consisting few things minus a few things, but we can survive this.
4.) Exercise, Eat well and build your immunity
Exercising helps us to stay active and fit. Do not exercise with the goal to lose weight but to stay fit. Do not strain. Set a routine and follow easy steps. Divide your meals into small portions so that you don’t feel lethargic and full. When you eat a heavy meal and lack physical activity, you feel lazy and dull. Eat well, focus on quality sleep, and stay hydrated.
5.) Practice self-care
How to survive the lockdown and make the most of it? Take time for yourself, this is the time when we do not have to rush and do things like we used to do a few days back. We can relax for a while, give ourselves some rest and care.
Useful resources to make the most of during lockdown
- Join the online courses, enroll for anything in your domain to upgrade your skills, or learn a new skill.
- Put your kid to an online class or download learning apps available in abundance.
- Do not force your kids to study and do things they are not interested in.
- Read books and if you like to write, this is the time to give it a start.
- Create your youtube channel if you have the skill to showcase.
- Make the maximum use of technology to stay connected with your near and dear ones.
- You can also play online games in family groups.
- Start meditating with the help of guided meditation
- Download free available mediation apps and practice.
- You can also try Yog Nidra ( guided meditation for better sleep)
- Try to be calm and it will help you think clearly.
- Do what you love to do but never had time before.
Besides this please follow your favorite hobby for which you never got time before, spend time with your children, stay away from content overload on digital media and news channels. Just stay updated and informed, help your kids stay away from fear, and take it as a temporary phase. In case you feel too anxious and depressed please seek online counseling from a valid source. We all are together in this and we shall overcome one day. till then keep the strength rolling and let nothing fade away from your smile from your face. Be grateful. Take care. Stay home, stay safe, and stay sane.
