Introduction
In some countries, it has been months while others have locked down their nation for weeks. According to Matthew Davies, the rising number of infections globally, unemployment for a huge share of the population, and other such factors are more than enough to take a toll on you with the stress of being cooped up in a room. Or, you can have an optimistic perspective and view it all in a different light to find unexpected joys during this pandemic induced lockdown. A few unexpected joys of being locked down are listed below:
The Advantages
- Exploring new hobbies or indulging in old ones – Due to the busy lifestyle, a lot of us aren’t able to find enough time for our hobbies. Weekends were spent on shopping, cleaning the house, laundry, maintenance, and other such chores, socializing with friends, or binging on a Netflix series. Lockdown brings you the perfect opportunity to rediscover the joy and passion in your old and new hobbies. Maybe it is gardening, dancing, woodworking, or anything else that can be done within your home or at the garage.
- Learning new skills – Lockdown has also given a sizable number of the population to learn new skills while they are stuck at home. You can opt for any one of the courses offered for free by education companies like Coursera and Udemy or go for the few week-long courses on marketing, Sikh scriptures, AI modeling offered for free by universities like Harvard during the lockdown. It is fulfilling to invest in yourself and now is the perfect time to do so without spending a single dime. These skills may find a suitable place in your portfolio and aid you in the future.
- With the community a few balconies apart – Dense cities have a bad rep for lacking friendly neighborhoods present in the suburbs. People are too busy and sometimes, they run late to even send a casual greeting your way. However, the lockdown has created great opportunities for people living isolated lives in small studio apartments to be closer to their community even if it is from their terrace and balconies. Chatting up with your neighbors at the balcony, a group barbeque, or singing together to support the healthcare workers and other people in the frontlines. All of that while maintaining more than the recommended gap for social distancing.
- Happiness in silence – Most of us are used to drowning out our surroundings with earphones while we commute to work. However, these weeks of lockdown has taught more of us to find the joy in silence and solitude. Reading a book on the porch while the sun kisses your face, a warm breeze tickles your cheek, and the occasional sound of cars from miles away is a newfound routine many of us wish to sustain even after the pandemic is over.
Conclusion
Matthew Davies believes that finding joy in the little things and viewing your situation with a lens of optimism might be the most essential thing that we need to maintain good mental health during this lockdown.
