Coming out of our shells

COMING out of this last lockdown makes me feel a lot like a turtle poking her head out of her shell.

As we creep towards the new normal, I hope we don’t forget the invaluable lessons this pandemic has taught us. Here’s what comes to mind:

Be more aware of the environment

Remember in the early days when the world shut down and pictures sprang up all over the internet showing us how nature thrived without man's air pollution and encroachment on the wildlife’s domain?

Let’s not forget to be more respectful of nature. Take climate change more seriously. As a nation, we need to reduce traffic to reduce air pollution. We all need to reduce our carbon footprint. Check out this New York Times article on good ways to do so: https://www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint

Spend more time reflecting

Lockdowns forced us to discover an introvert’s world. Hopefully, you spent some time reflecting on your life and your values, discovering new hobbies and reading. If reading didn’t become part of your routine, start now.

The more you can entertain yourself at home, the better off you are while we ride out the rest of this pandemic. Reading serves as entertainment, enlightenment and an escape.

Be kind to one another

The pandemic should have taught us to be kind and mindful of each other’s needs. We should have become more supportive and empathetic people. Reach out to those who are alone and lonely.

Trust people to be professionals

Work-from-home days showed us that productivity can increase when people aren’t propelling themselves through gruelling work weeks defined by five days of awful traffic jams.

Government offices, schools, businesses and banks need to incorporate some work-from-home days for students and teachers. Many people will get two or more hours on those days to pursue personal interests that can make them better and happier workers.

Use more technology

Isn’t it amazing how well we have done online with meetings, banking and other services? I have got so much work done for prisons without stepping into a prison for nearly two years. I haven’t been inside a bank for nearly a year.

Zoom meetings work well and help us to avoid traffic and unnecessary contact with people. I’ve taken an online class from Stanford University and immersed myself more in master classes online. Look for ways to function online more. Save yourself unnecessary trips outside of your home.

Protect your health, save gas money and learn more about technology. In some ways, technology has enhanced our social lives over this pandemic by giving us the ability to reconnect to people living abroad. Zoom, WhatsApp and FaceTime facilitate quick and frequent interaction with friends and family.

Reinvent yourself

The pandemic has shown us the importance of finding ways to reinvent ourselves, personally, socially and even work-wise. If you were unhappy in your work before, now is the time to look for online classes that will give you a new skill or degree.

Universities have had to resort to online classes more than ever. Classes that were once only in-person are now online, so explore a new career online.

Connect to your community

This is the best time to plunge into community service. Many people are suffering financially because of the pandemic. What can you do to help your community? Contact NGOs and churches. Offer to donate food baskets and clothes.

Support an NGO financially. Contact schools to see how you can help with reading online to children or do online homework supervision. Find a way to help the less fortunate in society. It will lift your mood and help someone in need.

Rely less on electronic entertainment

Find cooking projects and building projects that help children use their imagination, develop maths skills and create products they can enjoy. My children built race tracks, doll's houses and treehouses when they were small. Encourage reading and writing projects that help children understand and process their feelings.

Find family connections through reading, building jigsaw puzzles and gardening. Organise activities for your children like writing and staging their own plays, costume designing, songwriting and performing. Your children’s activities should spark their creativity and bring families closer together.

This pandemic offered many opportunities for us to learn more about ourselves and help others. We need to reflect on what we learned during this time to make us feel happier and more fulfilled in life.