A little booster

Day what of Movement Control Order (MCO)? Is it day 40th, or 50th? I have lost count.” We are all currently experiencing a life event we never thought we would have to experience. Due to the current pandemic, we were required to stay at home and practice social distancing to prevent the virus from spreading.

Now that we have more free time, people think that we should use this time to be productive and to self-improve. All over social medias, I have seen people trying out new recipes, doing exercises, cleaning their room, picking up a new hobby or even registering in online skill classes. Personally, I think that it is good that people are exploring new things and are starting to notice and appreciate the little things around them. After seeing all my friends trying to be productive, I have the urge to plan my daily schedule with back to back activities. It felt satisfying to accomplish and try out many new things. As time goes by, I find it draining. Some days I did not manage to be productive and all I wanted to do was just binge-watch drama series. Ah, another day wasted, I thought. I realized there were days I did not manage to tick of all the task on my to-do-list, and that made me feel guilty. I felt guilty for not being as productive and for curling in my bed and watching movies all day. Mainly, I felt guilty for not living up to expectations. I recalled comparing myself to my friends and saying “Oh, my friends are doing these now, and I did not complete what I had to do today.” It made me blame myself for not trying hard enough.

When I reflected on this issue, I came to realization that it is okay. There is nothing wrong with trying to be productive, in fact, it is beneficial. Seeing others being productive might motivate us to be adventurous and might give us plenty of ideas about what we would like to explore, however, we should not be pressured by it. In my opinion, people tend to show their good side on social media, it sometimes makes people feel as if they are not good enough compared to their peers. This thought could be viewed as a motivation, or it could bring people down. Therefore, we should be aware of the contents we view and how it influences our thoughts. Being productive is subjective and people have different interpretations on productive, whether it is completing one task a day or completing multiple task a day. So, do not compare, do not use your friends as your guideline to be productive. If you feel like reading a book, do it. If you feel motivated to film a video, do it. If staying in bed and listening to some music is all you wanted to do today, it is okay. We should do things following our heart and desire. Be productive on your own pace. Most importantly, enjoy the things that we do, and that we are doing it for ourselves, not for joining the hype or lifestyle of other people. Remember, do things that makes ourselves happy. It is very much needed during a time like this.

Li Ann, Intern

Check this link for more information : https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/23/how-to-deal-with-productivity-related-anxiety-during-covid-19.html?fbclid=IwAR3YP6uuFplt2GFrfUC5s3Tj8JotXi8Xzu_6kUUOO99LVAAThNJ02qI5lv0