At the end of 8th week of HBW

When I penned a blog 6 weeks back, HBW felt new. I went into the mode with a belief that over a month, or a maximum of 2 months it will all be over. But as one week rolled into another, time became a blur and there was lesser clarity on when this will end. The light at the end of the tunnel felt like a mirage.

Over the weeks, work continued, busier than ever. Partly due to more meetings that compensate for the lack of physical interaction, and partly because it just takes more time to do the same amount of work at home than at office (maybe it is just me). I miss the energy in the office. But there is also so much going on in response to COVID and I am thankful to be part of that action. Work aside, everyone is trying out new things. I am no different. By now, I am a better chef and an amateur baker. I have, to some extent, got used to home workouts. But I remain a terrible zumba dancer despite 3 classes a week. I penned three blogs, this one included. April was a busy month on the personal front. I celebrated in style the Telugu and Tamil new year, my birthday and completion of 19 years at the Bank. I even created a folder for COVID lock down, which mostly contains pictures of my cooking, screen shots of zoom calls, and downloads of key news articles. Memories are important.

The human mind is amazing. We simply adapt. I have adapted to a point that this feels normal and will have to re-adapt when things open. It's been 2 months already and if predictions are to go by, it will be another 2 months before we experience any kind of normalcy - a 'different normal' than what we know. I am afraid my mind will lean towards being conservative in the short term when it comes to undertaking leisure travel, greeting people with a warm hug, taking public transportation, etc. But I will sail through that phase as well. Self-resilience is vital.

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?" – this is one of my favorite quotes. We didn't ask for the corona virus, and we surely don't want it to stay. But this lock down experience has given us the opportunity to try new things and do things differently, gaining skills we may need in the future. Some of them could become a way of life.

When I speak to some of my friends, the general sentiment is that post COVID, nothing will change, and life will be just the same. But I strongly believe that at the end of it all, every one of us will come out with some positive change. Even if it is something as trivial as appreciating the sound of the birds. As we are still in a state of not knowing when we will return to normal, I continue to keep my spirits high and outlook positive. This may seem difficult, but there is no better way to be. 

As we enter 3rd week of HBW…..

For once, the experience is not unique to me. It is the same story and similar reactions from friends and family all over. Most of us have not experienced anything so widespread and prolonged in our lifetime, and it is so overwhelming that it is hard to steer a conversation away from the topic. Let us face it, the coronavirus is here to stay for a while.

Face it, I must. The developments are indeed worrisome. But the question I ask myself is whether I want to spend my day constantly focusing on the news and panic? Clearly no. I believe that if I decide not to let my mind focus on it, I will at least be half successful. Like they say, its mind over matter. Everyone has their own coping mechanism. As I reflect on the past two weeks, there are things I try to do/not to do as part of my coping strategy. I say ‘try’ because not all of this works perfectly every single time, it’s trial and error. But by and large, home based work not been as bad as I thought it would be. I have a housemate, and it is a blessing during these times.

·  .  Don’t binge read news - I stick to two 15-minute updates, one in the morning and evening. I also get updates from the office. I cannot possibly digest every piece of news that is out there. I am happy to stay ignorant for 8-12 hours. It keeps me sane.

·  Don’t forward every ‘forward’ I get – Like many, I am part of many informal whatsapp groups. Average of 5 forwards per group times number of groups is a LOT of forwards. It ranges from factual news to personal stories to conspiracy theories. I cannot stop receiving the forwards, but I can refrain from re-forwarding.  The funny memes are exceptions, I forward some to a close circle if I think it will bring a smile. In fact, I saved two of them to use as part of this blog, but could not figure out who to give copyright credit to!

·   Maintain a routine – This has been the most challenging, I must admit. Being a night person, my mornings are not the most productive. The real work gets done in the afternoons and late evenings. Yes, there is a routine, just a slightly different routine each day. Well, whatever enables me to get work done for now is good.

·   Get my dose of exercise – Its spring, the sky is bright (although raining on and off), and the weather is nice. But I prefer to err on the side of being conservative and stay home. I get good tips on home exercises from my sister and roommate that I follow. My sister also conducts online Zumba sessions 3 times a week. I cannot follow the steps but I still join to get some action. And my dose of fresh air comes from the balcony.

·  Cook my favorite dishes – Home food is a comfort factor and cooking is a destress activity (like cutting vegetables and washing dishes). So every day I spend time and effort to cook one of my favorite South Indian dishes from my mom’s recipes. 

·  Don’t binge eat – The urge to raid the fridge is strong these days. I curb the feeling by telling myself that I must fit into my ‘spring collection’ clothes when I resume office (it won’t be spring then sadly). I give in once a while, but mostly have been disciplined. I do not want to be rolling out of my apartment at the end of this ordeal.

·   Engage in 2 of my hobbies – It’s been 2 months of no travel. So, I plan and research for my next two trips that I don’t know when I will undertake. But the process keeps me excited. I plan to restart work on a few unfinished blogs and travel scrap book. It is not that I have time to kill. But these activities help me stay focused, at the same time distracted from the ongoing crisis. A recent article on virtual worlds on BBC has piqued my interest.

·   Stay connected more than before – I always did a decent job of keeping in touch, but it’s reached a different level now - like an aggressive sales call pitch. Emails, phone calls, video calls – I average 3 non-work calls daily. I feel blessed to have that circle of family and friends I can count on. A cousin initiated a video call with my big group of cousins over the weekend, it was epic. I feel great.

·    Stay positive and stay calm – There must be an inner determination to stay positive. All of the above surely helps.

·    Laugh a lot – Its short of a therapy. I started this during my times in Kabul. I watch a comedy show for about 15 minutes before going to bed. It lightens the heart.

It looks like a lot, but it is pretty much what I would do even otherwise. Now I do it more consciously. The only annoyance factor coming from this lock down is the ‘disinfect’ ritual every time I leave the apartment (which is not frequent thankfully). OCD is not fun!

Before I even think about fashionably complaining how painful HBW is, I remind myself that my issues are non-issues in comparison to many others. While I am concerned for my family back in India, on a day to day basis here in DC I only need to take care of myself. I am not faced with the challenges of managing little kids, cooking for a large family or attending to elders. I can work from home while many are losing their livelihoods. I am not short of entertainment at home, while many do not have a shelter over their heads. I debate about what to cook every day, that says I am not short of groceries. I choose to count my blessings.

We are all in it together. We have to do what we should as responsible citizens and human beings to protect ourselves and others. We must remain perseverant, this too shall pass. I eagerly look forward to the day I will be back in office and see my colleagues in flesh and blood. It will call for a real celebration. Until then I hope and pray for everyone’s health. Thanks to technology that help us stay connected. #Stayhome#