The Flipside Of The Lockdown

I know many of you can't wait for the lockdown to be lifted to finally get back to "normal" routine. I do miss some people and few things like traveling to awesome places, just visiting a nice coffee shop within my city etc. But this lockdown has been a blessing too.

Making the best of this lockdown

Here's why the lockdown is not a bad thing completely:

1. This is the closest you may get to a sabbatical. Having the flexibility of timings at home can give you a lot of freedom, if planned well. I am stretching my work hours one day, when I am in the "flow", finishing off the stuff and able to take a break for the next couple of days to focus on my own stuff. It's like I am living the "four hour work week". Choose your own schedule every day in these minimum disturbance days.
2. This can be your much needed retreat from the world. Apart from the usual online content and the customary "hellos" from colleagues, I am pretty much deprived of all the infinite inputs that generally bombard me every day. It's like someone has stopped the loud speakers that have been playing obnoxious music and I can think clearly.
3. Find your voice. It feels like the biggest lie I ever told myself was that I hate my work. I was unnecessarily guilt tripped for several things which I shouldn't have cared for in the first place. I couldn't figure out that I am just going with whatever is fashionable in my environment. The days when I felt the work satisfaction after a long tiring day was when I marked my mood as happy in my journal. Figure out what you actually like.
4. For many people, being alone with yourself is challenging. Use this time to be comfortable with yourself - find your happy activities and get them rolling. Being an introvert, it always feels like social interaction is just imposed on me always - I do miss my friends and the best people, but I am loving all the alone time I am having away from many unnecessary interactions.
5. Find the sources of toxicity in your life. A surprising thing from these days of isolation has been the fact that I am not feeling low or sad. I could figure out the source of my self doubt and insecurities at work. This is the best time to figure out the toxic people in your life - it's quite simple - interaction with toxic people is like interaction with dementors, they suck the energy, happiness and optimism out of you. You will be left with self doubt, guilt or some kind of negativity after almost every interaction. You may want to continue your social distancing with these people forever.
6. You don't have to come out of this lockdown with a new skill added in your resume. But do consider learning that thing which you have always wanted to - just for yourself. If you can't manage to give them time now, then probably you may not be able to give them time ever.
7. Being the master chef- everyone is already into culinary experiments. Miss all that cheesy and sugary fried food which you ate at some fancy restaurant? This is the time to experiment and test your master chef skills.
8. Do you really miss the traffic? All that sound and air pollution? Enjoy the non-commute time.
9. Don't you love life in pajamas? Aren't you just happy to not pluck your bushy eyebrows?
10. It's time to reset your sleep cycle or experiment with it even further. With the freedom to nap for 20 minutes anytime in the day, you can be the mad scientist and bend your sleep cycle as you want.
11. Once you have detoxified yourself and eliminated all that's not nourishing to your life, you can focus on adding back people and things as per actual priorities, instead of being delusional. Build your life.
12. This is the time to eat right and on time - the old excuse that you don't have time to focus on diet doesn't hold true anymore. Be it intermittent fasting or eating six short meals a day, learn all about it and do it.
13. If you have trouble learning something by yourself, enroll into a course on coursera,udemy, etc. A structured course with assignments and deadlines may make you focus better. There's enough time to easily complete a course.
14. You think you are too old to do something? Think again, this lockdown is just giving you another chance to be crazy and do your own thing. Come up with the weirdest experiments and challenges, you have always wanted to try. Check your bucket list. Push yourself to pursue that weird thing.
15. Just take a break. Recharge yourself. Heal your soul. Learn how to detach and de-stress. Prepare yourself for all that madness that's gonna happen once this is all gone. Till then, relax.

Check 30 Day Challenges - The Ultimate List for a list of 30 day challenges you can take up in this lockdown.

Bucket List : Ideas and Inspiration will provide you an inspiration to build your own bucket list ideas.

But where's the stupid stuff? Here it is :  50 Fun Things To Do At Home

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