A guide to survive and (maybe) grow through this pandemic

Like me, if you are a normal being, you would have gone through many phases - feeling imprisoned, excited, bored, overwhelmed, even scared of the present and the future. You would have also felt miserable because you aren't any of the cool stuff either. FOMO will set in. Damn, you didn't even learn a new course from those umpteen free websites!

Same pinch!

But there is a way to turn this around. Let's start with understanding ourselves. On one hand, all that talk about WFH feels like a lot of freed-up time, but on the other hand, our brain is telling us that we are locked down in our homes and there is no free will. Every day is an empty canvas, but also chaotic and meaningless.

Hence, start with scheduling your day. It tricks our brains into having a sense of control. Now you are at home all day, because you have a list of tasks to be done at home. Plus, because the unscheduled time is the only "free" time - it becomes valuable. Next, find a purpose to all these tasks. It will make you think you are doing something worthwhile. Now as you move through the day, you will get work done, and feel proud of having done it. Yay!

Next, what should you really do? Here is a hierarchy to follow.

Category #1: Survive. Do all your routines. Get the groceries. Cook. Clean up. Do everything that keeps you alive. Schedule time for this. The less you skip this, the less you will feel overwhelmed and powerless.

Category #2: Socialise. There's a very important reason why we are called social animals. And that Harvard study also gives more details on how our connections lengthen our lives and add to our happiness. So, go ahead and chat. Gossip. Call up that old friend. Cry on a video call with Mom. It will feel good.

Category #3: Selfcare. Don't jump to doing stuff that everybody is posting and getting likes for. Rather, start with what you were craving for during your busy days. Watch that movie. Read that book. Listen to that playlist on loop as you cook some dal-rice or Maggi. Whatever makes you feel cared for.

Category #4: Skill Up. With all this stuff taken care of, it's time to look at the future. Only the near future, though. Start building the skills that will help you stay in your job. Learn the soft skills to become a team leader. Or get certified with those free courses to expand your job profile. It may feel horrible if your job was taken away, but then, you need to work faster to get the next job. Find out about new emerging skills, and get skilled for those. Or start learning something new for a side-hustle. Why not!

Category #5: Serve. Even if you are more privileged than others, don't do this from a place of guilt. You will continue to feel guilty or ashamed, if you do that. Instead, create a 'positive' purpose around it - solidarity, gratitude, positive karma, etc. (And don't post on social media, because you will then keep checking for likes and comments.)

Did it work for me? Yes!

(1) Survive: I slept a lot more, not feeling guilty about my dropping productivity. And I changed my work hours a bit. Once I found my rhythm, I regained my focus during "work hours", and my productivity was up again.
(2) Socialise: I have scheduled after-dinner play time with my family, and it works as a reminder that I am home during their awake hours. Very fulfilling!
(3) Selfcare: Reading books and writing this article is my way of self-care, so yeah, happy about it!
I am yet to do something about (4), and won't discuss (5) for reasons mentioned above.

Like everything else, this requires practice too. Keep switching between these 5 categories. Keep what works. Throw away the rest. And start again. Chances are you will get a lot of stuff done, and also feel good about it.