The Effects of Lockdown in your High-flying Action Life

Life was up and running at full speed when the lockdown happened.

The Digital Marketing company where I worked as a content writer decided to close until further notice. It was illogical for our clients to DO Digital Marketing ads when their own businesses would have to shut down.

Office was beginning to get boring anyway. Free time meant I could relax and rejuvenate myself. And sharpen my skills too. I hadn't met my family in Pokhara for so long. This might be an opportunity from God himself.

"Everything is for the better."

Or so I thought.

If you are an office-rat and a go-getter like me, your days in this lockdown is likely similar to mine, which I have summed up below:

The Honeymoon Phase

The first few weeks went smoothly enough. As someone interested to invest in the stock market of Nepal, I read some good books on the topic. I was careful enough to not waste my time. After all, I had to balance my financial loss with intellectual gain.

I had downloaded enough movies to keep me entertained for a week or two. Youtube was always there in case I needed more.

If everything went as planned, it wouldn't be so hard.

First Fights in a Relationship

Reading ebooks on my phone began to hurt my eyes now. I wished I had brought my laptop. All my torrent files had served their purpose. I had consumed more information than was enough to keep me sane.

I am the kind of person who has to make each day productive by any means. I need to have learned something new and done something that makes me "better." But trust me, this mentality is far worse than procrastination. Once you get addicted to it, there is no getting out.

This is when things got in my head. I had already read enough books to give me a head-start when everything resumed. I was fresh and motivated like never before.

But the question was, when will it happen? When will things get back to normal?

Desperation to get out

I'm not a fan of politics and the news. But I consumed both of them voraciously during this phase. It was largely out of desperation for change.

Being productive, exercising, family time, yada, yada. I knew that. But you can eat your favorite meal for so long until it stops being delicious.

My desire to get back to normal life was exploited by the countless "news portals" of Nepal. Fake news was spreading in social media sites like crazy. Some website would sound as if Corona was a distant memory in the past and life was now returning to normal. But other sites acted as if trouble was knocking on my own door.

Current Phase: Confusion and Chaos

Things are blurry now than they ever were. Government's plan to ease lockdown came for economic reasons. This doesn't mean that the risk is lower. In fact, the number of cases is on a steeper incline today. People who are beginning to jam the streets in the cities don't turn a blind eye to social distancing and sanitation.

This forces me to question whether the three-months long lockdown went in vain by opening the country at the peak of this pandemic. Is it likely that this is the silence before a storm yet to roar?

The Silver Lining

Nevertheless, if we take the boredom and impatience away, this lockdown has been beneficial to us who are priviledged. At least, I hope it has.

If you were an insignificant member of the corporate world in Kathmandu like me, and if you were looking for some change, here are the good things you might have done during this global crisis:

1) You made time to catch-up with friends and family (Online, if not in person).

My buddies who complained I did not respond to their messages now get my story updates three times a day.

2) You managed to work on yourself.

We, all have at some point thought of improving ourselves intellectually and physically. Being healthy is so easy yet so hard. Especially if you have to study or work in an office during the day.

Chances are, you gave your best shot at it this time. Apparently, one of my colleagues lost 7 kilos. Can you believe that? I can't. I'll have to see her in person after this ends.

3) You managed to take a break and stay still

There is a difference between doing nothing and sitting still.

We think the decisions we make are our own. But the brain is an independent organ altogether. Your body does what your brain wants it to do. One way to have control over your brain is to teach it to be still and listen to you instead of the other way around.

I realized that my need to always keep working was because of my insecurity about the future. I knew I needed to slow down a bit. Going back to Pokhara and spending time with my family made me realize that success is sometimes overrated.

For a workaholic like me, the fact that I can sometimes take time off and simply do nothing sounds strange. However, these uncertain times forced me to do nothing. And I got time to watch the clouds change and the rain splatter. In a race to secure a better future, people are unaware of their surrounding most of the time. This lockdown kept me grounded and humble.

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Friends and family leave a more perennial satisfaction in you than material fulfillment and monetary rewards. I finally realized what I was missing back home. I can happily say, I received a lot by not being productive. It isn't always bad.

4) You checked TikTok for the first time, and actually liked it.

Anybody? How many hands went up?

TikTok is an incredible platform. It is just polluted by content that don't make sense. However, I am not in a position to judge what makes sense and what doesn't. I have seen people using it really well too. Let people do what people want. You follow people you relate to and videos you like. Simple.

For your info, as someone who has been in the digital marketing industry for some time now, let me tell you that Tiktok is the next marketing tool for brands and businesses.

Having an online presence doesn't hurt. You should try making one of those videos. Come on!

5) You managed to battle uncertainty with hope and strength

Most people couldn't do that. Suicide cases are spiking all over the world.

We don't know when this will end. We don't know when we will get our real jobs back. For people battling negativity and depression, people will simply tell you to think positive. But that isn't helpful. Things are hard. They really are.

Instead of trying to ignore it, we should address our issues and deal with them. I understand that your story is unique. Your concerns are unique. But please, have a little patience and stay hopeful. Things are bad but they won't always stay the same.

Read these articles:

Envisioning Life after Global Pandemic

Mental Health Crisis: Consequence of Prolonged Lockdown

This all leads me to conclude: Maybe things really do happen for the better. In case you didn't do any of the things above, there is still time. This lockdown isn't going to end anytime soon.

How different is your lockdown routine from mine? It is your turn to speak in the comment section below.