The Upside of Isolation
In the past few months, many of us have spent more time at home than we ever have before. Introverts are secretly happy about mandated alone time and extroverts are climbing the walls counting down the seconds they’ll be free to meet up with their mates again.
I never expected to face something like this, and I still keep thinking I’m watching the newest Hollywood blockbuster unfold before my eyes… complete with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in the lead roles (just because I love them together – think Speed and The Lake House).
Given that I’m a “walking on sunshine” kind of person, I thought I’d look at 7 good things I’ve noticed emerging in recent months.
1. Intentional connection
We tend to get busy with our lives and don’t spend as much time with people we love as we should. Now that we can’t freely visit people, I’ve seen much more effort being made to connect in other ways. Mostly online but I’ve also seen a program which involves letter writing between young children and the elderly. Anyone else remember the days of pen pals?
There’s also been so many acts of kindness, people helping complete strangers and reaching out to those who need extra help. It really warms my heart to see what’s being done to look after not just those in our immediate circles, but also those in our neighborhoods and communities.
2. Family time
Parents and kids together all day every day could be a recipe for disaster, but some families are really thriving with this new arrangement. I’ve seen entire families (including Dads) doing dance routines on Tik Tok! There’s so much activity that now involves the whole family. Those with younger kids are not missing as many of the first-time milestones and so much more is being captured with photos and videos. There’s probably going to be more footage taken over this period than ever before. You can just imagine how embarrassing future 21st birthday parties are going to be!
3. Happy memories
I’ve seen people dig out old photographs from their archives, from way back, before everything went digital. There’s lots of reminiscing going on, recalling people and events of yesteryear and smiling about the special moments in our lives. Of course, lots of comments about how young or thin we used to be! It feels good to remember and talk about shared memories. It strengthens connections and reminds you that you have people who have played significant roles in your life.
4. Creativity explosion
Singing, dancing, baking, cooking, crafting, DIY… I’ve seen people doing all sorts of things they probably never had the time to do before. It’s either something they used to love doing or something entirely brand new. People are exploring new interests and developing new skills which is fantastic for reducing stress and exercising your brain. “All work and no play” is a thing of the past. I’m sure people are discovering hidden talents and maybe even coming up with business ideas in the process. Let’s hope the learning and discovering doesn’t stop when this is all over.
5. Animals abound
With humans indoors, the animals have come out to play. It goes to show that they are quite happy not having people stare at them all day. They must be wondering why it’s so quiet nowadays. This time has given them a chance to destress and to go about their business without distractions. I’m sure there will be many more babies making their appearance in the coming months.
Less movement means less vehicles, less vehicles means less pollution… cleaner air for us all!
6. Procrastination paused
I don’t know about yours, but my to do list just keeps getting longer. No sooner have I finished one thing, then I’ve added three more. It’s been a great time to tick more things off the list and to do things I’ve been wanting to do for ages. People are clearing out and getting organized, fixing things around the house, or finally finishing a book they’ve been trying to read for the past year. Nothing more satisfying than crossing an item off the list and seeing the list look manageable again. Who knows, I might clear it altogether (unlikely but one can dream).
7. Shorter meetings
This one relates to work, but I’ve noticed that meetings are shorter and more productive. Anyone else get frustrated with meetings that go on for hours and don’t achieve much at all? I used to keep thinking to myself, “If I’m in meetings all day, when am I actually supposed to do the work allocated to me in those meetings?”. One of the reasons I got out of corporate life as soon as I could!
I’ve covered 7 good things coming out of being isolated, but I’m sure there are many more. Take this time to be thankful for what you have and to appreciate the people in your life. This too shall pass. And we will be stronger and more connected when we come out the other side.
Stay home. Stay safe. Stay well.
Most of all… Stay happy.
