Well, we all know how last year went by. The full-blown panic seems to have blown over. As we lurch a bit unsteadily into 2021, bolstered by vaccines and a sense of overriding optimism, we seem to be forgetting the handy lessons dealt out by 2020.
Amongst the many truths that the pandemic unveiled, one particularly stood out for us. You need a routine to survive regular life. You need a routine to survive a pandemic too.
No, I am not into yoga, or know how to meditate. My partner did both. But that’s not how I went about it. It was actually a series of steps that I took. This was what a typical day was like – specifically during the lockdown – that helped us stay calm.
Check the news. Isn’t that what we all do, the moment we roll out of bed? That’s the first thing I stopped. I didn’t want to start the day with Covid statistics that resulted in little panicky thoughts scampering across my mind. I have the rest of the day to acquaint myself with those facts. Instead, I focused on something more pleasant. Like petting a cat. Or watering a plant. I have a bird feeder. I’d top it up, change the water, clean it and stare at the birds pecking away. These are little tasks that made my day start on a gentle note.
2. The evening ‘feel-good’ factor
Online meetings. The ever-extending to-do list. We have all been there. Despite the temptation to just go from work mode to selecting a series to binge watch, we took out time for a nice brisk walk. About 45 minutes or so. Lower stress levels, rush of endorphins, etc. I didn’t use it as a goal to lose weight. It was just something that felt good. Another thing we did was to read up something new everyday. My specific interests were short stories by new authors. Or travelogues. The walk and the reading bit helped us ‘pause’ the day that was till then hurtling on at a breakneck pace.
It was all a bit overwhelming. And it still is. Some of us have gone through the ordeal of being ‘positive’. Others are yet to pass through that rite of passage. There are lots of questions in the air. And unfortunately, not many reassuring answers. There’s one thing though – it’s entirely up to us on how we face this ongoing storm. With a cool head and a brave heart. Or hyperventilate every time we step outside the door. We all know it’s the former. Because the latter doesn’t make any sense.
To sum it up, be it a pandemic or some other stressful life event, each one of us can figure out a routine that calms us down.
So, let’s do whatever it needs to stay safe. And wait for everything to blow over. Which it will. Sooner than later.
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Thanks Micky for sharing your 2020 experience. Some part within each of us has reset.