Another Aidiladha under MCO
IT’S looking like it’s another “stay at home” Hari Raya Aidiladha next week. At the time of writing, nothing’s been said about lifting the Movement Control Order (MCO). This is quite understandable because gatherings and travelling may make matters worse, especially when there are so many unidentified asymptomatic carriers of the dreaded and deadly Covid-19 virus.
We still need to bring the number of cases down. The entire population needs to be vaccinated. All medical frontliners, as well as those who are doing all they can during this pandemic, are fatigued.
The novelty of “staying home to stay safe” is getting rather stale and fast becoming an exhausted cliche.
At first it felt like a wonderful idea and solution. For many, it almost felt like a dream come true being able to work from home and be with the family at the same time.
Some of us felt that once the pandemic is over, we could work differently — no need to take up, rent or buy office space when the world has gone virtual and online. The office is truly wherever your computer is.
However, it didn’t take long for us to discover that the partitions that separated our lives between home and work was the essential balance to our sanity.
sOCiaL COntaCt
Those in Kuala Lumpur would have undergone some sort of MCO for almost 500 days now since the pandemic began in March last year.
While some are still okay with this, there are those who are suffering from economic hardship and psychological challenges. Bills and rent have to be paid, while loans need to be serviced.
Some have suffered the loss of loved ones to Covid-19. Some are slipping into depression and all manner of abuse, in addition to loneliness, boredom and anger while being told to stay at home.
The crux of the matter is that we, humans, are intensely social creatures with a need for social contact.
Since being ordered to stay home, we took staying in contact in any form we could — video calls or just phone calls and text messages. But still, once the conversation ends, the warmth of that conversation can evaporate just like that.
Trying to maintain a positive outlook and staying upbeat is becoming a challenge. We need to find creative ways to stay occupied and busy, and find a happy medium.
Our mind is a complex thing that’s capable of so many things. But setting goals and trying to stick to them is always easier said than done. Just look at New Year resolutions. We need a lot of encouragement and steely resolve to stay on course.
You’d find that you need some interaction and group support, whether it’s from your family, siblings, relatives or friends. It helps to have support from the people you share your home with. But sometimes those who live away from you can be your greatest supporter.
eFFeCtive stePs
Some suggestions for staying engaged and healthy include simple outdoor activities like gardening and exercise. This isn’t only beneficial for the ailing loved ones in your care, but is also applicable to all ages.
Staying cooped up in the house for days on end can drive you bonkers. Watching television all day long and bingeing on all sorts of series is fun, but doesn’t do much for your health — mentally and physically.
We need to be able to focus. For example, instead of reading and hearing things about gloom and doom, and feeling helpless and angry about the current situation, re-direct our energy towards things we can control.
Feeling restless and worried? Take steps to effectively solve your problems. Identify and define them. Work out the pros and cons of each solution before making plans to tackle it. Repeat the process if the solution you chose didn’t resolve the issue.
It also helps to maintain some sort of routine, especially if you’re a caregiver. Routines help manage expectations.
This is especially useful when you have a loved one in your care that totally depends on you. It also helps you to organise your time more effectively. By doing this, you can allocate some “me” time to rest and recharge.
Keep an eye on the quality of your sleep too. Ensure you have enough of it. Lack of sleep contributes to feeling blue and hopeless. And it’s especially so for caregivers whose loved ones are going through tough times.
As Hari Raya approaches, instead of lamenting how empty it’d be without family, choose to be happy and grateful that our loved ones are safe where they are. God willing, there’ll be a time when it’s safe for us to continue our lives as we knew it before the pandemic.
Tell ourselves that this situation will not last forever, and that we’re all in this together. Stay safe and have a blessed