With South Africa (and many other countries throughout the world) in complete lockdown, we feel like we’ve lost freedoms that have always been with us. The freedom to walk outside, to run our businesses, to buy and sell, to visit our families and friends, to have picnics and weddings, to go to church or synagogue or even gym.
As someone who works from home, and by nature an introvert, lockdown sounds like a dream…or just another day, really. Lockdown is like that bizarre period between Christmas and New Year when it could be Smushday for all you know, except now you have to work, and you can’t leave your house.
The problem with not knowing which day of the week it is, is that you get lazy. Airport rules apply. G&T at 09:00? No problem! Holding meetings while not wearing pants becomes a way of life. I have a sneaking suspicion that the most ignored item of clothing during this time is the bra. I myself have completely embraced the hippy lifestyle: no make-up, no hair products, sweatpants. I look like I’ve been dragged backwards through a bush. I’m Princess Fiona in Shrek, but at the end of the movie, with a glass of wine in my hand. I suspect my husband wonders if, in fact, he actually married a bridge troll.
During this lockdown period, it’s easy to take on an attitude of “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “What’s the point; we’re on lockdown anyway”. It’s tricky to keep your routine going when pants are optional. It feels natural to let basic things like making the bed every morning go. In contrast to this, I’ve read of women who continue to wear make-up and dress in work attire during lockdown, as it helps them to distinguish between work and home hours. This is fantastic, as discipline breeds discipline.
Despite my wild abandon of civilised living, I have not abandoned routine. I still get up and go to bed early. I still exercise – instead of going to Strong by Zumba classes, I am now tortured by online instructors (Thanks Youtube). I still have three meals a day and try my best to not snack too much (I might look like a bridge troll now, but I don’t plan on weighing as much as one). Normalcy has disappeared, but responsibility remains. I still have things to do, deliverables to deliver and deadlines to meet. Keeping a sense of normalcy in extremely abnormal times is crucial to my sanity and productivity. This reminds me of a poster that did the rounds not too long ago.
It actually originates from just before the Second World War. The British government intended to raise the morale of the public because they knew panic and fear weren’t useful emotions. I feel this poster is equally as apt during this time. Don’t panic, don’t fear and don’t be lazy. Oh, and don't forget to switch off your mic/video when you go to the loo during a Zoom call. Yikes.
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