The COVID-19 pandemic gave birth to the concept of “Social Distancing”. A misfit term for the current situation. A better-fitting term, in my humble opinion, is “Physical Distancing”. After all, that is what medical experts are urging us to do.
Staying at home does not equate to disconnecting from the world and people around us. To the contrary, in these hard times, staying connected is key to a healthy body, mind and soul. We just need to change our perspective.
Socializing in the present era requires a shift in mindset from the physical to the virtual. Luckily, technology is on our side. There is no shortage of virtual communication tools from Skype, to Zoom, WebEx, Slack, WhatsApp, and FaceTime. For those who do not have access to such tools, a phone call is always welcomed; letters and notes are even sweeter.
There could be a silver lining to this pandemic, if we choose so. Mandating a change for a better future is one potential positive outcome. If anything, COVID-19 would force us to come up with better measures, policies and standards. We should not aim to go back to how things were before the virus, but rather, emerge with a better future in all aspects of our lives.
Meanwhile, let’s use this extra time wisely:
- Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read
- Watch some comedy
- Research a topic of interest
- Reevaluate your expenditure and general finances
- Pivot your operations
- Nurse and cultivate existing relationships
- Reach out to connect with like-minded people
- Force yourself to intentionally think of the future
- To maintain your sense of fun, checkout this article for 50 ways to spend your time
During this time of physical isolation, what have you been doing to stay positive? and more importantly, what kind of future you would like to see post COVID-19?
Please share your comments below and inspire others to stay optimistic.