Life Lessons Post COVID

 

Life Lessons Post COVID

Dr Chinmay Nakhwa

Introduction

It will be almost 2 years since that small little virus totally threw our lives off track. Economies collapsed, families got shattered, livelihoods were lost. What was considered  to be a childs’ right, playing outdoors now seemed like a privilege! But what cannot be denied is the fact that this pandemic has changed the way we thought. We’ve stopped taking things for granted. We’ve realized that we have limited time. And we should be deploying our time in doing things that matter most to us. Here are 5 life lessons that I've learnt and implemented in the last two years!

Health Is Wealth

The first wave of the pandemic broadly divided people into two groups - The fitness freaks and the cooks! The rising number of pandemic cases made people acutely aware of the need to have a healthy body. According to WHO recommendations, working age adults need to have at least 300 minutes of moderate physical activity in a week. 

Any physical movement is significant. Be it a brisk walk, a morning jog, yoga, pilates, Weight training. What matters is that you develop a routine and practice your exercise everyday

Peace Out : Say hi to mental health.

Never before has any natural calamity turned the spotlight so sternly on this important topic : mental health. Loss of jobs, livelihoods, financial losses in the markets, death of a loved one were all precipitating causes for mental illnesses. Depression is a real disease and it can affect you and your near ones without you even realizing it. Surveys have shown an increasing number of adults reporting stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression during the pandemic than prior. Consequently the use of alcohol , tobacco and other drugs have increased. 

Do spend some time with your loved ones. Play with your children. Have a pet. Or indulge your neighbor's pet. Rekindle that long lost hobby. And do not forget : there is no shame in getting professional help. Do reach out to your psychiatrist or counselor if you are feeling down. 

Indulge your hobbies 

 Be it cooking, gardening or crafts, hobbies are excellent stress busters. Believe me, you’d feel much better anyday , say playing on your guitar rather than binge watching another series on netflix ( Nothing against netflix though!). 

I find this especially important for youngsters who have been unfortunately restricted at home due to the pandemic. Most of these kids would spend their time seeing television and mobile phones simply because of a lack of a better activity to do. In such times a hobby like dancing, singing, drawing , writing are such excellent options to explore. Many teachers now teach these things online ( This way, there is a peer group also, this helps to stay motivated!)

My kid has found a newfound love for reading novels and I'm not complaining!

Learn a new skill

In today's digital era it is so convenient to pick up a new skill online. As medical professionals we tend to live in our own small cocoon. I found myself quite out of sync with concepts like Stock Markets, Blockchain, Artificial intelligence, digital marketing et cetera. It is easy to pick up the basics of these topics through online courses on sites such as Udemy or UpGrad.

The best part about such online courses is that you can do them at your own pace and at your own time. ( I’ve recently deleted Facebook app from my mobile and I'm spending that time on udemy! Surprisingly,  I don't miss Facebook as much as i thought!)

The thrill of learning something new can never be undervalued.

Develop a routine 

What distinguishes successful people from the rest? Among many other things, discipline is the key. Start small, develop small habits. Over time these habits become a part of your personality. 

Start with waking up early, by 5 am. You’ll notice that you suddenly have so much more time for yourself! Meditate for half an hour, workout for an hour , write a blog, brew fresh coffee, reflect on the day gone by. All before the sun rises! And voila, i promise the rest of your day will be amazing. 

I recommend reading “ Atomic Habits” by James Clear. It's a very good book with plenty of practical tips about how to effectively cultivate small habits.