10 Sure Ways to Stay Sane during COVID-19 Lock-down

We are all in extremely trying times. The past couple of weeks have been very scary, and things seem to be changing every minute. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and constantly worrying about things that we don’t have much control over. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has asked us to stay home and engage in social distancing. It’s easy to be riddled with anxiety during these times, and at times it can be hard to stay positive. While we should be cautious, and take the lock-down seriously, there are some ways to manage stress and stay sane during COVID-19 social distancing and isolation!

Let’s try to focus on making the most of this isolation time and turn inward.

Note- After reading the list, put your phone aside and start practising, as most of the things in the list do not involve the use of smart technology or gadgets.

With most of the things either closed or cancelled, it is obvious that schedules have gone out the window. Most of you must be enjoying the isolation, being a couch potato or scrolling miles through the social networking sites, and taking breaks only to sleep in and repeating it all over again.

This may sound fun for now. But, to maintain a positive attitude, it is essential not just to create a healthy schedule for yourself but stick to it as well.

Wake up each morning at a set reasonable time, exercise, get dressed and choose a corner as a designated workspace- work from there, just the way you would have done if you were in the office. Working from home can be a bit relaxing these days, so give yourself breaks in between and mix in some recreational activity such as a walk or a workout.

Just because you are locked in at your home, and you do not have gym equipment around, it can be easy to slip out of your daily workout routine. 

Don’t let your health and well being get out of focus.

Try out the basic exercises, meditation or yoga asanas. Also, make sure that you are getting 8 hours of adequate sleep daily. Take advantage of being home and allow your body to rest. 

And lastly, Drink a lot of water and try to maintain a healthy diet. This is a great chance to avoid fast food as much as you can. So, slow down for a bit and find new recipes that are healthy, and you will enjoy cooking.

Writing a journal can be therapeutic, especially during stressful times. There’s something healing about documenting your thoughts and getting them out onto paper. It’ll be interesting to look back on in years to come—think of it as reading a firsthand account of one of the major events in history.

This exercise of maintaining a gratitude journal might seem absurd, yet it’s a powerful tool to shift your daily attention from the horrors of the world to the wonders of the world. 

Some amazing and beautiful things are all around you, but it is up to you to notice.

Each day jot down three things you are grateful for at the end of each day. It could be as simple as waving to a stranger living in the opposite building or a new flower blossoming in your garden. But make sure you commit to this exercise, and it would generate positivity in your life.

We do have a corner somewhere in the house or in our closets that look like a heap of junk. And cleaning it is one of the activities that we all keep postponing indefinitely.

So, clean and reorganise all the mess, and make your home spic and span again!

This couldn’t be more true right now-

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” 

It’s the best time to read the books you brought for “The day when things will slow down, and you’ll have time to read.”

What could be more entertaining than going down memory lane and flipping through the old family photo albums or playing board games, cards, and completing puzzles?

Look out for all your family photo albums, sit alone or with your family and flip through the pages and relive those moments once again. Or play a game of carrom or ludo just like the old times. These are the perfect ways to distract yourself from everything going on in the outside world while also keeping you laughing.

Due to our busy schedules, there were things that we said we wanted to try but couldn’t. Well, now, is the time! Pick up painting, make jewellery, photography, or start a blog or youtube channel! At least find one thing that you’d love to do and let yourself dive into it.

Now is the perfect time to get those creative juices flowing and try new things.

Though we may be practising social distancing, you can still take morning or evening walks, on the terrace or in your garden, and get some fresh air. 

Gardening is a great way to spend time.

As kids, we all must have spent time in our small gardens at home – watering plants, trimming them and taking care of them. So why not try it once again? Being close to nature provides joy seeing those plants grow and flowers bloom. Also, a little Vitamin D is good for the body. 

With isolation, you can still volunteer or support a worthy cause during this time. For instance, adopt a needy family and each day you can cook some extra meal for them, just be super sanitary about it, and keep your distance. Check your local NGOs and see if they need any help!

The people around you need all the help they can get right now. Create some flyers with your phone number and leave them at the doors of those possibly at-risk, especially the elderly and immunocompromised neighbours offering to lend a helping hand (hands-free, of course). If you are healthy, you can also offer to pick up their groceries or medication and drop them off on their porch.

They might not vocalise it, but there’s a good chance they could use a helping hand.

Don’t let the news dominate your day- it’s essential to stay informed. But don’t let it completely overwhelm you.

We all lead busy lives and rarely do we spend time with our loved ones or even ourselves. So now is the perfect time to make it up for every lost moment. Sing a lullaby to your child or become his partner in a car racing game or cuddle your pet, share a conversation over a hot cup of coffee or tea with your parents and give your partner the time and attention they crave.

What tips do you have to manage stress during social distancing and COVID-19 isolation?

Let me know in the comments below!

Addiction of Social Media and Celebrity Culture

Likes decide the number of friends;

Comments determine their worth;

Welcome to an era where-

Low battery stresses out people more than global warming.

Staying “online” has lately transformed into a constant “state of being”. We, ordinary people, are growing accustomed to not just watching but also being watched continuously. After all the unwatched life is not worth living. The scale of our ambitions may vary, but the craving for attention is the same.

As per the data of 2019, 260 million Indians are active social media users and are found to spend 70% of their time on smartphones purely for entertainment. Converted to numbers, probably a million are nose-deep into their phones at this very moment.

The addiction to social media is a huge problem looming over today’s youth. Of course, it creates a “feel good” factor, youngsters feel involved and up to date. But in the years of innocence and discovering themselves and their goals in life, they are spending the majority of their time looking into the picture-perfect lives of celebrities. Hobbies have become non-existent, self-development is getting hampered, and the mind is tuned to spending hours in front of the screen.

Following celebrities often lead to a life of comparison. The problem begins when youngsters fail to understand the lifestyle of a celebrity is a lot different than what is portrayed- they too have their struggles, weaknesses and days when they do not look their best but their social media is structured in a way that it represents only the brighter side.

This feeling of ‘not good enough’ or ‘not content’ eventually leads to depression, lack of communication skills, increased sleep deprivation etc. among young people. Though social media is not inherently bad, it is when it gets out of balance. So how to balance it?

1. Check your social media accounts and ask yourself-

• What do I do when I’m on this app?

• Does it add value to my life? How?

• Does it bring me any joy or stress?

Social media account should be a place where you find connections, relief and feel uplifted. If you find that you are missing the mark, consider getting rid of them.

2. Hit unfollow: It’s essential to know who you’re following and why? Ask yourself-

• Am I seeing the posts that make me feel unhappy or put me in a bad mood?

• Am I comparing my life, my body or my success with others?

• Does it make me feel like I need to be someone I’m not?

If your answer is yes to any one of these questions, it’s time to UNFOLLOW.

3. Pause before you post: ask yourself- How will posting this impact my life or the life of other people?

If your answer is negative, skip the share button.

4. Take a vacation from social media-

Disconnect from the virtual world and spend some time with the people around.

Social media has the potential to make society a better place to live in. But it is equally essential to log off from the virtual world and reconnect with the actual reality to strike the much-needed healthy balance between life online and offline.

The Darkest Baisakhi in the history of India

ਪੰਜ ਵਜੇ ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ ਦੀ ਤੇਰਵੀ ਨੂੰ,

ਲੋਕੀ ਬਾਗ ਵਲ ਹੋਏ ਰਵਾਨ ਚਲੇ।

ਦਿਲਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਇੰਸਾਫ ਦੀ ਆਸ ਰਖ ਕੇ,

ਸਾਰੇ ਸਿਖ, ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੇ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ਚਲੇ।

ਵਿਰਲੇ ਆਦਮੀ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਵਿਚ ਰਹੇ ਬਾਕੀ,

ਸਭ ਬਾਲ ਤੇ ਬਿਰਥ, ਜਵਾਨ ਚਲੇ।

ਅਜ ਦਿਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਨਾਣ ਚਲੇ,

ਸਗੋ ਆਪਣੇ ਗਲੇ ਕਟਵਾਓਣ ਚਲੇ।

(The above lines are from ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’, a long poem that details the events that led up to the bloodbath at Jallianwala Bagh, written by Nanak Singh, who was 22 when he went to Jallianwala Bagh on that fateful Baisakhi day in 1919. The poem was banned by the British upon its publication in 1920, and copies were destroyed. )

The unjustifiable killings of hundreds of innocent men, women, and children, in cold blood, at Amritsar on April 13, 1919, by the British soldiers, till date is considered one of the most significant wounds given by the British Empire.

It was the day of Baisakhi, one of the important festivals of Punjab. An estimated 10 to 15 thousand people including Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to commemorate the day that Guru Gobind Singh Ji founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699.

Since the Bagh was surrounded by houses and buildings, it had very narrow entrances, most of which were locked at all times.  On the order of General R.E.H. Dyer, the soldiers entered from the main entrance, which was relatively wider and opened fire without warning, they continued to fire until the ammunition was exhausted. 1650 rounds. The soldiers had received orders to shoot at the densest section of the crowd.

Hundreds died from the direct shooting, several lost their lives in stampedes, and many died jumping into the well, to escape firing. It is inconceivable what the casualties would have been, had the armoured vehicles armed with machine guns been able to get past the narrow entrances to the Bagh that day.

The firing lasted for about 6 minutes resulting in destruction and devastation, with hundreds of innocent people losing their lives and leaving thousands of people injured and scarred.

The day was an eye-opener,

And though, it’s been more than 100 years,

Their bloodstains still scream,

Their helplessness still haunts,

Their sacrifices are still remembered.