It began with a slow start. With the name resembling a mild beer, how much could this disease possibly affect our lives, we thought. Gradually, it lay its dirty and cruel hands over us – spreading from one state to another, one country to another and before we knew it – turned out to be a pandemic. What else could I be talking on the blog about than the ‘it’ topic – Corona Virus?
The disease has changed our lives in ways more than one. Or maybe, the way we have been taught to live one. If we thought life is all about getting ready in formal attire, reaching office on time, working our asses off only to spend that money over the weekend, our life has been thrown for a toss. A modest flu kinda disorder is here to change the way work and play have been perceived so far. An impatient generation is slowly adapting to habits they never thought they’d need to.
Day 3 of house arrest and the suffocation was getting on my nerves. The only breath of fresh air I had was the breeze from our windows or the one quick moment when there was someone at the door. How I secretly wished someone rung the bell all day!
The Work – Eat – Work – Sleep cycle had to break. This frustration had to escape. And then it dawned on me, this was not how I wanted to spend my mini summer vacation – just cribbing and complaining. And so it was decided, I’m going to enjoy it. Killing time had to be replaced by spending time. Little did I know, it was just a mindset that needed some tweaking.
With time, I’ve learnt that work knows neither attire nor location. Work is work – You need not suit up or work from glass buildings to prove your company is performing. Sit back at home in your pyjamas and you will feel all the more productive. Sure, the frequent coffee and smoke breaks with colleagues will be replaced by tea with family, but what’s the fun with monotony anyway.
Talking about attire, I’m loving how work and play are the same, but just a little more comfortable than usual- I mean I’m simply changing from night pyjamas to day pyjamas on loop! So much better than uneasy sky-high heels and body clinging shirts.
Annoying alarms have suddenly been replaced by the chirping of the birds and break time is spent pursuing our old school hobbies. Some are painting, some are singing while some are just recovering their long-pending beauty sleeps.
You know that 5-minute time slot between switching the geyser on and waiting for it to be ready? That was the only period I had to water my greens until last week. Thankfully now I have enough time to pursue gardening – mist my plants, fertilize the existing ones and pot a few new.
And then comes late afternoon, a few naps later, when I get time for pending personal chores – time to tick off that to-do checklist your mother has been nagging you since eternity!
Life seems to be falling in place amidst this horrifying mess.
Watching two movies on a weekday is something no one from our generation must have ever fantasized about! But here we are!
Suddenly clubbing with friends has been replaced by Scrabble and Uno. Thank God I’m a hoarder and have these decade long games lying in the dust.
Late evenings are the best! And here’s why –
Remember until less than a week ago, we used to schedule video calls with friends. 7 pm IST is how we decided. Come 6.55 pm and if not makeup, let’s admit, we ran a quick comb or dabbed on some talcum powder on our faces before the call. But now that the entire world is sitting back home, we’ve dropped all inhibitions.
We are candid on the camera even with our bushy overgrown eyebrows or flyaways across the face, accepting ourselves in our natural habitat. That’s beautiful in itself, isn’t it?
Every night is spent playing group games on the cellphone – Houseparty/ Psych and what not – And with random people joining in! 
The first time we played, it was me, my mother, my friends, my cousins from Mumbai and Goa, my brother and his friends – all at once. And the second time I joined my friend’s cousins (without even asking her).
The Corona Virus is slowly but sharply changing our conventional habits and the laidback attitude we have towards our lives. It is making us people-oriented even without requiring us to be physically present and proving that one can have fun without digging deep into our pocket.
Maybe this is the normal we all need to embrace – Leisure punctuated with work. Not the mundane Travel-Office-Party.
What are your thoughts about my post? How are you spending your mini summer vacation? Tell me in the comments below!
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