The Covid Archives: Unlocking The Lessons Of Lockdown; Lessons Learnt And Way Forward
By Neha Bhatia
Transformation never came without some prior destruction. And as it appears after the Covid-19 breakdown, Mother Nature must have vowed to restore the balance and harmony of the planet that this gigantic destruction was initiated and witnessed by the entire specie of humanity.
As much as it has magnified our worst fears of life’s uncertainties, the Covid-19 lockdown has also thrown light on some of the simplest-yet-greatest of things life has endowed us with, most of which, tend to roll under the shadows while we are busy running on the routinely treadmills of our lives.
Now, even though the day-to-day life seems to gain pace once again, the life which was prior to the start of lockdown looks like no more or less than a dream or a remote memory from some past life, washed away, as if, in the flick of a brushstroke.
The spasmodic proliferation of the virus has unwittingly revealed some of the biggest gaps and cracks in the former lifestyles, thereby, devising a new way of life to the entire humanity. There are lessons to be learned. There are changes to be acted on. And a lot more.
Making Time For The ‘Little Things’
In Your Bucket Lists
Many a times, most of us mortals are likely to postpone checking-off the items in our bucket lists, primarily, until the arrival of something called as the right time.
Whether or not there is a holiday, a day off or a festival, we keep on waiting till some point in time when everything about everything in our life will be perfect enough to do the things we enjoy.
During the recent lockdown, all of us became a witness to the fact that how much we love to engage in varied kinds of amusements such as cooking, baking, making art, watering plants, journaling or simply spending considerable time sipping a cup of tea or coffee, on a daily basis.
It would not be a lie to say that even for the purpose of taking proper rest and having a good night’s sleep, we tend to wait for a day when all our worldly worries will vanish away, somewhat, miraculously.
Well, they won’t.
Life is unpredictable, after all.
Nevertheless, why wait for a day which is, but illusory. Be it a list of coffee table books that you’ve been wanting to read since long, or a set of recipes to experiment in your kitchen, the best and the right time is now, what say?
Transforming Isolation Into A Medley of Minibreaks & Meditations
Just like our hobbies and the activities that make in our bucket list, the lockdown has revealed our basic need to take out some time for cultivating awareness and mindfulness in our day’s routines.
Most working days, time appears to flee like a parade or a non-stop drill. From kitchen to laundry, from laundry to work, from work to salon, and from salon back to kitchen. There appears hardly any time for sitting back and taking a look at the vast sky, let alone listening to a bird’s song. Isn’t it so?
This period of social distancing and isolation has surprisingly tickled the depths of a human’s need for inner peace and calm. The desire for meditation has popped up in the minds of many of us. And looking at this, the period of lockdown seems to appear like an opportunity to restore our inner balance, more than some sticky situation.
When Homemaking Becomes Holy
With technology top-levelling every other second, our lives have become much more convenient than our ancestors.
Certainly.
There are a lot more possibilities than ever. There’s always a lot to do. More projects to complete and more challenges to take. More skills to add and more tasks to accomplish. More lists to check and even more checklists to organize.
Amidst this hustle and bustle of pursuing these glorious-appealing possibilities, we tend to see the daily homemaking tasks as humdrum. Whether it is the task of dishwashing or a laundry schedule, whether it is cleaning or homemaking, meal planning or cooking, the lockdown period has made us do all the things all by ourselves. Even the top-spot celebrities aren’t spared.
And so, as it turns out, people are finding leisure in these daily homemaking tasks such as mopping the floor, doing the dishes and cutting the vegetables. The lockdown seems to be a call of nature in disguise, teaching us to pay attention, to pay attention to the mundane and the ordinary.
Small Moments. Big Memories.
“Enjoy the little things in life because when we’ll look back, we will see that they were the big things.”
Many a times, the brushstrokes of happy memories tend to turn blurry or perhaps even fade away in the rushing flux of information trying to make a way inside our heads through constant streams of internet, social media, television, etc.
Did you notice how this lockdown turned these everyday small things into some of the most memorable moments of our pasts? From relishing the roadside panipuri and chaat, to shopping accessories on the street markets; even taking a walk in the society park, these small moments of laughter and merriment appear to be no less than some big, social events we’d all wish to participate in, in some future.
Being Tech-friendly Is The New Age Need
Till the late 90s or even the beginning 20s, technology wasn’t counted as a skill significant enough to be compulsory for all to learn. However, with the pandemic hitting the road, it is now essential more than ever, to be familiar with the know-hows and workings of the technology.
Treating yourself to a digital marketing course, learning the new project management software or sharpening your social media skills are some of the things which all of us are going to need in the near future.
