Corona and Toxic Productivity

I promised myself that I wasn't going to write about corona, because that really isn't what this blog is about, but with something that has so drastically changed everyone's lives, I feel as though I can't avoid the topic any longer.

We are about three weeks into social isolation with no tangible end in sight, and it has been peculiar to say the least. There are a lot of feelings to be had, fear, anxiety, relief, guilt, and just about everything else between. I have felt a bit bombarded online with people compelling us to make the most of this time, to transform our lives and come out of this pandemic with a, 'glow up'. I was initially drawn into this mentality of what has been coined, toxic productivity, thinking about all the incredible things that I could accomplish during this time of isolation and reflection, I could finally try and learn French, teach myself to cook, and read all of the books on my bookshelf. But, as you can most likely imagine, this plan fell short and I was left feeling quite disappointed in myself and inadequate, comparing myself to the hundreds of people I follow online, most whom I have never even spoken to before and probably never will. The moment I realised that I was falling into this pattern of thinking, I knew I had to shake myself off and get out of it.

So, I've decided to make the most of this time, in a way that works for me, because as much as I believe that people should not be guilted into being productive, but neither do I think that wanting to be productive should be scorned!
For me, I am a creature of habit, and having a structure to my day, whether that be self imposed or governed by an outside agency is important, so every evening, I sit down for ten minutes and create a schedule for the coming day, factoring in everything from work, to leisure, to simply relaxing, and I stick to it. It isn't  meticulous, but it would allot time to the activities that needed to be done so that I could give my days some real structure and ultimately meaning during a time where meaning can be a little hard to find. Since I've started doing this, I have felt so much better, spending my time doing things that bring me joy, and not being so hard on myself for not accomplishing all manner of things that I probably wasn't going to accomplish in the first place! This is not a time to be hard on yourself, it is the time to look after both your mental and physical health, whatever that may be!

What I'm trying to get at here, is that I was putting an awful lot of pressure on myself, during what is already quite a stressful time, so here are some nice things that you could do that you may enjoy!
So stay safe, keep healthy, and look after yourself!