At the beginning of March 2020, many of us thought the pandemic was only going to last a few weeks. Staying home gave us much-needed rest from the daily grind of work and social life. As the weeks’ extended people lost their jobs, their loved ones, and their sense of hope.
You don’t have to be productive all the time
There were a lot of social media posts about using this time at home to learn new skills, languages, and lose weight. These posts boasted about making the most of our time during the pandemic. Though many of us found it difficult to get out of bed, to keep active, or find a routine in quarantine.
The best way to make consistent change and progress is to have a set schedule and structure. That is something we do not have during the pandemic. With the uncertainty and the fear of the future, it is not surprising that most people are simply surviving, not thriving right now. It is okay to no thrive during a hardship that is affecting the entire world.
Hobbies for enjoyment
A lot of people lost their jobs in 2020. In the American economy, many full-time workers already supplemented their income with side jobs or selling crafts and art. Etsy and Instagram have become popular platforms for small artists to showcase their work and get noticed. While this is a great opportunity for them, there is the pressure to capitalize on every aspect of life. Crafts, art, music, writing, we are taught to market them as products and sell sell sell.
Hobbies for the sake of relaxing and self-enjoyment are not encouraged. Young creatives find that others see their hobbies as a ‘waste of time’ if they are not making a profit from them. Do you like painting? Your friends will ask you if you want to open up a shop and sell your work. Like making jewelry? Market that. Sell it. Turn the hobby you use for self-fulfillment into profit.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to sell your crafts and make a profit from them, but that should not be expected from everyone.
We do not need to capitalize on the time of grieving and survival of the pandemic. It is okay no to feel normal in a time where there is no normality or consistency. It is okay that the biggest accomplishment you do is get out of bed every day.
This is a strange time to be living in with the virus and now the pollical tensions across the U.S. Self care and self-preservation are essential right now. You don’t have to worry about ‘making the most’ of a pandemic and exhausting yourself for the sake of productivity. It is okay to take care of your mental health and well being. It is okay to not feel normal in the time of the abnormal.
I think we all need to hear this: it is okay that you are managing to keep yourself together right now.
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