How to make best use of your lock-down time?

The video that inspired me to write this

How many times in the past have we complained about work and other priorities not allowing us to spend time with families? Now when we actually have the time, we don’t know what to do with it and constantly are going out on the lookout for entertainment and freedom. What do we do with freedom when we cannot be alive and do not allow others around us to live? Isn’t it time for all of us to become responsible together? 

Lock-downs need not necessarily be boring. I wish to list down some of the Do's and Dont's that can make them fun, entertaining and efficient. True - some of those could be hard to follow, just life's way of balancing things!

Do’s:

• Stay where you are, eat what you have. Develop self-control.
• Find alternatives. Don't seek perfection in moments of adversity. If you run out of tea powder, survive without tea. Going out to buy elementary grocery items should be avoided.
• Lock-down means absolute lock-down. It certainly means living well within the boundaries of your house.

• Engage yourself and the family with indoor games. For word game lovers, there is always Scrabble, Boggle, Word search, Hangman, Pictionary and many more. For wizards, solve the toughest Sudoku you have solved in your lives, crack the Rubix cube, if it is so simple, try doing it blindfolded. For classical old-timers, try playing Dhaayam, Paramapatham, Pallankuzhi etc.

• If you are fortunate enough to have your grand-parents around, listen to their stories. Ask what they would do in this situation, their version of ideas will be exhilarating to hear.
• Play chess with your parents/grand-parents/kids. It’s a fascinating game that allows your brain to think through endless combinations.
• Organize your living place, clean the floors, kitchen and the washrooms. Identify things that have been there in your house for long and you haven’t been using. Stack them up to give them away when the situation settles down.

• With all the technology that is available and the accessibility to knowledge we have - practice new skills. It can be bettering your communication, learning a new sport, picking-up a new language, playing a new instrument [don’t go out and buy a new one, use one if you have already], practising a new craft like Origami, Stitching, drawing etc.
• Read books - there is no better companion to mankind than books. Don’t worry about the genre, author, publication. Just read.

• Write blogs. You would have had lots of ideas to pen down, but just couldn’t find the time to. Now is the best time.
• Watch TV [but keep it minimal] - Instead of watching everything about the Corona Virus impact and the news around it, choose something that you like - musical shows, movies, documentaries, sports, Fiction, History, Pattimandram [Debate shows], Motivational videos, TED Talks etc.

• Finally, it is important to stay hygienic - but not necessarily through hand sanitisers. Avoiding contacts and staying within our houses should be the first step. When that is taken care, the second step of using hand sanitisers will not be needed.

Dont's:

• Staying indoor means staying indoor - not playing with the kids next door, not taking a walk within your gated community, not taking your dog for a walk etc. Don't get too close, even if the situation demands you to meet people.
• Don't get into the thought process of "Let me go once and get everything I need. That will be the last time I go out". If you do not have something, try and manage with what you have. Of course, if you have nothing left at all, you need to go out but let that be the last available option for you.
• This break is not for vacations, visiting friends, religious trips, movies and shopping. This break is only to break-the-chain.

• Stop servant maids and cooks from entering your house. Pay them even if you are not due to pay them today - because on any day with all due respect to them, their financial situation is likely to be worse than ours.
• Keep friends and relatives away and keep yourself away from them, unless they have responsibly self isolated and are guaranteed not to have been affected. I suggest, even the latter can be avoided. Social distancing is way more powerful in this situation than what we can imagine.
• Do not get too digital [blaming the virus] - TVs, Mobile phones, tablets and play-stations - Keep a balance.

2 weeks is all that is required for us to follow and if we can religiously do that, the likelihood of keeping the virus away is high. When we do not support spreading, the virus has nowhere to go but to die itself. Various countries with far less population and more advanced medical facilities than ours, are struggling to deal with the impact. Even if the points listed here sound silly and prompts the question if they are necessary at all, we don't have any other option left.

As quoted by a doctor from AIIMS, "This virus has a very big ego! He will not come to your house unless you go out and invite him". Stay safe!

PS: I was informed that it need not necessarily be 2 weeks and this situation could go on for months. I fully agree - but let the 2 weeks be a start for the discipline that is needed for the few months that follow. We need to start somewhere! 

Pictures courtesy: clipart.email