Lessons The Corona Pandemic Has Taught Us
It was very touching when on a video call with my five-year-old granddaughter, she said, we cannot go out to play because the virus will make us sick. So we have to play in the house, in the basement and took out her craft materials and started drawing cute pictures on color paper and cutting them, trying something creative on her own, while her mother was preparing the breakfast. Her maturity beyond her age struck me. It must be so difficult for young children to stay indoors all the time, not meeting their friends, not being allowed to go out to play with other children, not being able to meet their teachers. Their freedom has been restricted. With no schools, no vacations, no freedom they must be so distressed. They really don’t deserve this. So we need to give them a little more attention, tell them stories, play more with them, do whatever we can to make them happy. They need all the applause as they are the true heroes. Courage and resilience in the face of uncertainty and crisis is the first lesson that we learn from the pandemic. And the faith that by following all the precautions enumerated by the experts like social distancing, quarantine, staying at home, and following hygienic habits like washing hands, not touching the face, we can be safe. Let us have faith that this phase too shall pass. For tips on how to keep children engaged during the lock-down, please read my hub: 
Life is Precious and Temporary
The pandemic has taught us the value of life and how precious it is. With a hectic work schedule at other times, we hardly got the time for introspection. Now with danger lurking at every step, we realize how precious life is and how limited the time we have in this world. Things can change drastically anytime. We should be grateful for the time we get on this earth and spend it meaningfully. So this is the time to spend as much as possible with your loved ones, enjoy the small things, relax, meditate, so some soul searching, and introspection. Cultivate interesting hobbies, passions. We are not alone in this fight, there are others like us and we all need to be united in the fight against this virus and win. We need to watch out for others and be there for them.
Every day we read and hear true stories of people going out of their way to help others. Like there was news of a group of young cyclists in our city who were reaching out to the seniors and helping them get their groceries and other daily requirements. Psychiatrists are offering free services to help people beat the isolation blues, soldiers are donating blood amid a lock down linked shortage. Then there are hoteliers here who are offering their hotel rooms to be used as wards for the sick people. It is such stories that bring hope and strength during such critical times. The virus has taught us the true meaning of life, love, compassion, and unity. The whole of humanity needs to be united against a virus. We have realized that man is but a speck of dust in this wondrous creation.
We Are All Interconnected
The pandemic is teaching us how interdependent we all are. It is by staying connected while maintaining a physical distance that we can all heal. People are staying connected socially through video calls, conferencing, and chats. With technology on our side, we can shake the atmosphere of gloom and doom. And it is happening in real-time all over the world. People are catching with old friends, calling their parents more often, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries through video parties, even playing games with friends and colleagues after work. By staying connected, people feel they are in this battle against the virus together and feel comforted and safe. This is the time to rethink everything about our life. We are beginning to realize how much we need each other for our well-being. We have realized that these simple things like connecting with old friends, seeing our loved ones happy, help us to be stress-free. And we should make it a point to develop this as a habit even when things improve and we get back to our old routine life. "Don't Worry, Stay Calm" is the mantra going around in the world as people try to comfort and instill courage in the face of the pandemic.
For tips to stay calm and keep busy during lock-down, please read my hub:
Pets Are The Best Companions.
In this time of social distancing that we need to maintain amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, pets have turned out to be our real saviors. From pet videos as stress busters, or brightening up a video call to having someone to talk to during isolation, pets are helping us cope with the distressing turn of events the world is seeing. So it is our duty to take proper care of our pets at this critical time. We need to ensure that they get proper nutrition, make sure they get proper exercise, find new ways to play indoors and keep him active and healthy. Practice social distancing with other people and animals, when you do take the pets outside for a walk. Clean them after and maintain hygiene. Ensure proper hand-washing techniques when handling pets. Ensure the safety of your pets when you need to be separated from your pet. And if there is a concern with the health of the pet, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Pets are an integral part of our lives and are a source of comfort and companionship during any crisis or stressful situation. To read more on the benefits of having a pet, please read my hub:
Sometimes a crisis makes us to deliberate and act on changes that matter. Be it climatic change, or the refugee crisis, humanity is facing challenges as never before. We need to cultivate positivity and emerge stronger. People need to focus on solving the problem collectively and work towards sustainability. Nature has again proved to be superior. Man with all his intelligence and achievements on this planet was beginning to think he was supreme and nature has put him in his place. It has taught us humility. Life is a gift and we should value and appreciate it. We need to respect nature not exploit it. Too much exploitation of natural resources can lead to calamities and pose a grave danger to humanity. Some would say that this crisis is a retaliation of nature for the harm that we have done to the planet in the name of advancement. We need to be nice to mother earth if life has to continue on this planet. Nature will protect us only when we respect and protect nature.
Financial Security And Budgeting Are Important
We have realized the importance of financial security in this time of the pandemic. A lot of businesses are disrupted and there is a huge drain on the incomes of people, especially small businesses and retailers affecting the economy on a large scale. Therefore careful budgeting is crucial at such a time. An emergency fund at times such as these is very helpful. It is a good habit to invest a portion of your income every month in an emergency fund. In an attempt to stock things up during crises such as this, people often tend to overlook budget plans and later run the risk of a shortage of funds. So it is better not to get carried away and spend too much or resort to panic buying, but be mindful of our finances. to learn more about Financial discipline, please read my hub:
Financial anxiety can be very stressful and affect our health. So people are resorting to manual journaling which is a simple method which helps us be extra mindful of our spending habits. It is much easier to manage your daily expenses than an elaborate budget plan. You have to be aware on a daily basis the amount that is needed for expenses and how much can be saved for the future months. Manual budgeting helps us reflect on our spending habits and how to curtail unnecessary expenses. It also increases motivation and accountability. And during these uncertain times, you get a lot of peace of mind when you have financial stability. This crisis has taught us the necessity of mindful spending and the need to save. This Pandemic has taught us a lesson as to how unpredictable the future can be and how equipped to deal with an emergency we should be with thorough planning. Expanding your skills and finding new ways of earning like e-sales, virtual events should be developed alongside your regular job so that it can be useful in times such as these.
Time for Introspection
The lock-downs, isolation, quarantines and social distancing being practiced all over the world, in the wake of the pandemic has given us an opportunity to do some soul-searching and introspection. When the balance in nature is disrupted, it takes its own course for realignment. When man forgets his moral duty to the planet and in his greed over utilizes the earth’s resources leading to degradation and imbalance in the environment, nature teaches man a lesson though sometimes in a harsh and relentless way. It is high time that we did some introspection and take measures to protect the planet. After all, happiness is a state of mind. No amount of material comfort can bring you joy if your mind is agitated and depressed. The present circumstances have given us a chance to practice stillness of mind to introspect on the fragility of life.
Importance of Scientific Research and innovation
The COVID 19 Pandemic has taught us the importance of scientific research and innovation. As the virus spreads its tentacles causing havoc worldwide, scientists, researchers, physicians, epidemiologists, virologists, immunologists, are working round the clock to search for ways to combat the deadly virus. It is this expertise of scientific research which has come up with methods like social distancing, isolation, wearing masks, washing hands that have been able to contain the spread of the epidemic on a large scale. When there has been a shortage of medical equipment like ventilators and other protective gear, many youngsters have come up with innovative protective equipment that can be effectively used by the caregivers. Such innovations must be encouraged. Scientists and technologists must be given due importance. It is because of their efforts we are able to lead safe and healthy lives today. Scientific institutions must be given full support to pursue the best research. Governments must allocate more resources for research and public health.
Work from Home and e-education options
Many companies have provided the option of work from home to many employees due to lock-down and quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic. People have realized the benefits of working from home. The long hours spent commuting can be saved, productivity can be improved as you are more relaxed when you work within the comfort of your home. Traffic jams can be avoided, vehicular pollution can be reduced. In the past few weeks, there has been a substantial decrease in atmospheric pollution because of the lock-down and quarantine due to the pandemic. Though working from home does require discipline and dedication towards your work. It can be considered as a long term option wherever feasible. People have realized that it is more efficient and productive to carry on virtual consulting, video calling, video conferencing, and digital marketing and can be considered as long term solutions.
Apart from sharpening the digital skills of the children, e-education or virtual classrooms offer many advantages like the freedom to choose the course that the student likes, improve creativity, and soft skill development. It makes learning more fun. A lot of commuting time can be saved. The risk of ragging and bad habits due to peer pressure can be avoided. Experts believe, learning to be a long time process and not confined to a particular phase in one’s life. Technological advancements have made e-learning very convenient. Many schools are holding online classes due to the lock-down through video conferencing, live streaming, cloud conferencing, etc. These virtual classes are interactive with online discussions, seminars, workshops. These sessions can be recorded and replayed whenever required, in case of any doubt or to clarify. They also have the resource sharing feature which allows the teachers to share various file formats like MS Word, MS Excel, PDF, PowerPoint presentations. These methods make learning more interesting and useful. The Pandemic has shown that education online has a lot of advantages compared to the traditional system.
Creativity And Relationships
The Pandemic has brought out the creative talents of people. As they are forced to stay inside their homes due to the lock-down, people have come out with their talents to keep themselves and their family and friends engaged. The uncertainty and stress surrounding the outbreak has forced people to seek ways to keep themselves busy. Through live music and dance shows to various DIY classes and online workshops on personality development, stress management, cooking and baking classes, people are showcasing their talent which hitherto was hidden due to being stuck in the daily humdrum of routine life.
This is true of relationships also. Forgotten relationships are rediscovered. People and also nations who could not get along earlier are rebuilding friendships and seeking and trying to help each other out at this critical time. From medicines to technological know-how, nations are collaborating to defeat the virus, thus building ground for future cooperation. Workaholics have realized that giving more time to a healthy diet, exercise, family and friends and creative pursuits are important to avoid burnout. They have realized that there is meaning outside of work too and a better work-life balance is crucial for an efficient and productive life.