Surviving Lockdown - My Personal Perspective

Family, friends and readers, I am by no means a professional writer, this article, if you may call it that, is merely a reflection on how I have survived the lock down so far, which I wanted to share with family and friends and others that may benefit, in the event that it can assist  someone in anyway. For those that know me well, I don’t generally say a lot but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a lot to say to those that take the time to listen 😉

I understand that some may disagree with the thoughts and sentiments expressed in this article, and that is okay, but no offence is intended towards anyone. 😊

The moment I heard about the lock down, it was quite an awakening on what we as a country would be facing over the next few months. Essentially things got real in an incredibly big way. My initial thoughts were "what would this mean for our country and the people in it". "How would this work with such impoverished parts of South Africa?" Peoples livelihoods are at stake and this decision is a massive one which I was sure was made with immense consideration of all areas that would potentially be affected.

I must be honest, on some level the survival instincts kicked in and all I needed to do was ensure that I was able to sustain myself and my family during this time. In such uncertain times one either falls prey to the mass hysteria portrayed in the media, social media being the worst, and reacts emotionally, with limited or no rationale, or we rise up, looking to focus on what is important to survive and move forward regardless of the uncertainty that plagues us.

Pictures while going shopping for groceries:

Empty Roads

   

    

Pick n Pay virtually empty

The freeways also empty

Everyone seems to say we in the same boat, but technically we are not, everyone is affected but not in the same way. For some this is a vacation in your cozy home, with all you need to worry about is what next you will watch on Netflix, or what you will be cooking for dinner, or "oh no my data is running out!" However, for others it’s a true matter of survival, "where will I get my next meal?" "where will I sleep tonight?" "What will my children eat?" "How do I keep my children safe?" These are some of the things that got me thinking, that we are not in the same boat at all, our struggles are fundamentally different. Perhaps we faced with the same storm but certainly we in different boats.

However, what I did find to be similar amongst all these cases is that everyone is only able to do what is in their control to survive. I will touch on this important topic a little later.

The current pandemic has called us as human beings, to extend ourselves in ways we have never had to before, coming together to pull one another through a time of great uncertainty and hardship.

It is said that charity begins at home and then extends to family, friends, community and the world at large. To reiterate we do what is in our control and to the best of our ability and that is enough.

I will begin by looking at what "home" really is and then the other levels that come thereafter.

The Triangle - Mind, body and soul

When I say charity begins at home, it means it begins with yourself. Being kind to one’s self. Let me explain, for us to grow, improve and move forward we need to take care of ourselves creating a balance that will help to sustain us at any time, but most importantly right now through these challenging times.

These are just some of the things that I have found have helped me during this period to give me focus and keep me strong on all fronts but most importantly help me remain positive and hopeful for the future, I would like to share them with you.

I know that not all things are applicable to everyone, and what works for me may not work for you, but the important message I would like to convey is that we can all find things that work for us, this situation is not entirely hopeless. There is help if we seek it, and anyone can require help, be it shelter, food, necessities, social contact, a shoulder to cry on, sometimes just a positive conversation can do the trick, the list goes on and on. 

The Mind And Soul

Meditation

I have found that daily meditation and self-introspection has helped to calm me down and helps to filter out the negativity that we are presented with in the media and social platforms.

Meditation creates an awareness of one’s self and helps you recognize your true sense of self, thereby slowly coming to the realization that whatever happens in this world can only affect us if we allow it to.

If we are resilient and adaptive to change, change being inevitable, then we can go with the flow of the universe, not resisting change as this just causes fear and frustration.

Prayer

Prayer and lighting a candle for all loved ones, family, friends, the community and the world. Realizing that we may not have control over a lot, but we can still pray and send positive energy to all living creatures. This is not applicable to just lock down, it is applicable to everyday life, we have busy lives and hectic lifestyles and we do not always get the time to see loved ones and connect in ways we would like, but a short prayer and sending of light, with all in mind goes a long way, and doesn’t have to be known to take effect. We do have family and friends currently that provide essential services during this lock down and are in the front-line day after day, putting their lives at risk, the least we can do is say a prayer for them.

The body

Exercise

It is important to keep the blood pumping and energy levels up, this has a positive effect on your moods as exercise releases happy hormones 😊 that’s the best way I can put it.

I have included short exercises as well as some yoga into my daily routine, which I sourced on Youtube and from family and friends and this helps to keep me positive. I am by no means able to do every exercise, and sometimes cannot manage to finish every workout, but the point I’m trying to make is, if you don’t challenge yourself you will not know what you are capable of, and if you don’t at least start something, how can you accomplish anything?

All these exercises are doable in confined spaces too, I am in a flat, so for now, my kitchen is also my gym and I make it work for me, you can too 😊

Exercise has no age restriction, we have a legend in our family, my 74 year old uncle who runs the comrades, to remind me of that, there is something for everyone, and if you have a home with a yard, consider yourself lucky, so don’t waste the privilege of space. I find it’s not the exercise, but the fear and mindset that needs to be changed, so if we work on our mind, we can then begin to move forward. 

Eating

It’s no secret that eating a well balanced meal is important and with the luxury of time now this should be a priority. Oh, and how I love my food! 😊

I have also found that having vitamin enriched fruits and veg have helped to keep my immune system in good shape which is crucial during this time, every ones dietary needs are different, but the point is to take care of those needs and not neglect yourself. I have taken it as a challenge to experiment with making all sorts of things 😊

Heart eggs and omelets

Soups and Stews

Curries and grills 

Biscuits and Savory Rice

Breathing

Lastly, breathing exercises, believe me the air is much cleaner now and if you can go outside for a bit, in the mornings the birds are singing and the air is fresh and clean, and all this is goodness for your body.

The beauty out there, observe it and take it in, the clean air and crystal-clear skies 😊

Hobbies

It’s never too late to start a hobby, whatever it is. If you are unable to work from home, this is imperative to have a healthy state of mind.

For me I have gone on a cooking and baking craze as you have seen, but I have shared some goodies with some friends in my complex, that must count.😉 We can show love and care in many ways.

I also have exams that were affected by this lock down which have been rescheduled, so I’m getting some studying done too, so that is an idea to perhaps learn a new skill or do a new course to improve your skills.

Some of us may enjoy gardening, sewing, coding, gaming, reading books, writing and even troubling our wives 😉, whatever floats your boat, really the list goes on. I have tried to make myself a mask, something tells me I’m going to need a few of these😉

But for some, I have heard "I am bored", "there is nothing to do", "I’m confined to four walls". "I can’t do this", and "I can’t do that......", basically negativity on different levels.This is a matter of attitude and how you choose to see things, having more time is not a bad thing, it’s how you use this time. There are endless things to do, but nothing makes up for a winning attitude, so if you are one that cannot find anything to do, I encourage you to dig deep and know that the mind is where you need to start and cultivate the positive attitude that will enable you to see opportunities instead of roadblocks and to circumvent the obstacles and work around them.

Remote Working

There are many of us that are fortunate enough to be able to work from home, however this also comes with some challenges. You run the risk of not having any boundaries between work and home. You also may tend to work extended hours as you have nothing else to do ☹

Remote workstation

Your progress in work doesn’t make up for your mental health and having the discipline to switch off from work and to attend to the other aspects of your life are key. We all have families, far and near, we all have hobbies, dietary needs, rest and relaxation needs, and if we fail to balance, we risk burnout during this time.

Burnout leads to stress, anxiety and depression, so my advice during this time working from home are the following:

1. Try and maintain a routine, wake-up bath, get dressed and show up!

2. Maintain your working hours, whatever they may be, but be disciplined.

3. Take your breaks, if you have an hour lunch, take it, it’s there for a reason, even if you play with the dog, do a quick workout, watch TV, take that relaxation time.

4. Eat your meals on time and try as far as possible to eat healthy foods, fruits, nuts etc. I'm in no way a strict eater but make sure my body gets what it needs.

5. After work, move on to other parts of your life. Cook, bake, Read, Sew, Play with the kids or the dog but focus on the other parts of your life that are important too.

6. If you have KIDS then all areas 1 - 5 are still applicable but let’s slap a level 20+ on 😉 there for you, but always do what is in your control and be kind to yourself as no one is perfect.  We are not in a competition and we are currently working in uncharted territory, so allow for learning and growth as each family differs.

7. Finally, get rest, plenty of it, at least 7-8 hrs. if possible.

These are things that I have adopted to help me through this time and so far, they have been great, I am still happy, positive and focused. I cannot say that I don’t miss family and friends and wish I could see and interact with them in person. But to be honest, at this time I feel like those that are close to me have pulled closer and we are all getting through it together.

I am not a expert although I have taken the advice from my employer who has consulted experts to assist with this trying time and all of these things I have tried, have worked wonders, I just wanted to share it with family and friends and anyone really, in the hope that I may help you too in some way.

Charity extends to family, friends, community and the world.

We have found ourselves in times, where we are unable to give our family a visit, a hug, and we cannot meet friends, go dancing, have braai's, all the things we do to connect and enjoy life, so does life end here? Is it the end of the world? Certainly not, we as humans have this ability, it’s the ability to adapt, be creative and find new ways to connect, to help and give love to one another.

We can take inspiration from family, friends and many others around the world providing essential services so that we may be safe, I feel we have a responsibility to them to do our part.

A lot can be done from just being at home, we can source help for those we know need it, we can donate to NGO's and NPO's that are providing for the impoverished families suffering during this time. 

However, not everything that can be done is financial, we can extend ourselves to our elderly neighbor that is unable to go out and obtain groceries. We can connect and motivate our family and even make them laugh, as laughter is a form of therapy.

We can help by being a sound board to some listening to what they feeling, a voice of inspiration and motivation to others that are far away from home and depressed right now, or just a comforting smile over a video chat to others to let them know you are there.

My first group video chat 😊

Ask yourself, how am I giving back? How am I extending myself during this time when we all should pull together?

If you have read up to this point, thank you for taking the time and allowing me to share my thoughts and experience with you.

I don’t normally do this, nor do I speak a lot as I mentioned in the beginning but if I could help another by writing this article, I would be most grateful in the ability to do so.

Thank you and take care of your loved ones.

~Nerusha R