Anti-social in Lockdown?
Pausing in this New- Normal, to Play the calming moments!
The initial days of lock-down when stories and status were flooded with Dalgona coffee, vegetable challenge, black and white picture trends, and the most recent, ‘Rasodae mai kaun tha?’ We all somewhere grew in and out of the social media.
Just like ‘Khalii cooker on gas’, at times we all feel like empty vessels on the hotspot of social media, shifting between these trends, scooting in the ‘BINOD’ and then dying out with the comment section, we the users of Instagram, Facebook and other such platforms, let ourselves degrade and get handicapped by online influencing.
The year that began with the motto, ‘This is going to be my Year, WE WILL ROCK-IT!’ to sitting in our rooms with our laptops and phones, reminding ourselves, ‘It’s you and me(laptop/phones), that’s my whole world.’ and relating more and more to the lines, ‘Wake me up when September ends!’ The times flew. Now the ‘Travelling pictures are switched by the #PERFECTQUARENTINE food, fitness, art and whatnot.’ While the introverts felt comfortable in their pyjamas, a bowl of snacks and Netflixing the whole day. Where some of the people out there were busy gathering certificates and building their LinkedIn profiles while the others sat and contemplated as in, ‘WHY AREN’T THEY BEING PRODUCTIVE?’ And ironically at least once or twice this thought must have crossed each one of our heads, and it is very natural for this social animal to compare. It still is funny how we link our lives with the amounts of likes on a post, likes or amount of certificates on the portfolio. Making accomplishments the only mode of happiness, and counting on to how productive the day was? Isn’t how it works buddy!
Beyond the horizon of pictures, productivity and accomplishments come the state of being’s health and happiness. While others utilize their time being engrossed in the screens, one should take out the time for themselves and their mental presence in the room.
The recent situation of pandemic rolling in, the optimistic soul in the people made them think that the spam would be a golden opportunity to spend more time with family, away from their work life and other burdens, but nonetheless the words just turned out to be a myth.
Recent surveys show that the people are now busier than ever and are fixated in front of their screens at least 60% of the time in a day. The Health Guru mantras just lie in the videos, with very few implementing them in life ’cause of the improper schedules of sleep, classes and work. Almost every person feels stuck in a vicious cycle. Running behind productivity, we forget how much more time we need physically, as well as mentally. The increasing stress levels, irritation and other issues like feeling suffocated in the four walls; for an escape from all of this and to know the outside world, people tend to use the social media platforms or spend hours on online chatting or calls, which makes them fall into the same pit they tried to come out of. In building the connections with the world, neglecting the presence of PEOPLE in the room, instead of the physical touch savouring the stickers and Gifs. In the turmoil of catching up to the online self, wearing a mask that will protect you from the STATUS BUILT.
But in all of this, realising that catching up to self; taking a step towards you, by small things that feel big; meditation or by maybe just watering the plants in a cool breeze. Striking up a conversation with your family over a cup of tea or having those sweet little arguments with your siblings, for who gets that extra gulab jamun. For some, the chefs inside you are dying to come out. Carving out that artist in you, not for others but just for yourself, be it a dancer, be it a writer, whatever it is, BE YOU!
The lines may sound cliche, but ‘Living life with simpler taste’ can be best learned now. This won’t come to you as an EPIPHANY! So take some time off! Try to be anti-social to the world of likes and trends and be social to self! Embrace yourself! These tides of time are difficult to hover, but we all are the BEST SAILORS!
Don’t compare, create a version of you.
Hit a conversation with self and the ones around.
Make your presence felt, in the room!
In this new normal, let your productivity be on stay, and let your creative side play!
After pausing the button of daily life if you feel like having some soothing tranquillity play, then hit on to this beautiful song and movie talking about what has been discussed.
- SONG: Baatein Karo — Vayu (2020): No words can define the song more than the name itself.
- Movie: Ingrid Goes West (2017): American black comedy-drama film, talks about Ingrid, a young woman whose life revolves around an Instagram influencer.
