QUARANTINE IS NOT A PRODUCTIVITY CONTEST

As the pandemic worsens, so do our mental and physical states. We are adjusting ourselves to being home all day. We are struggling working from home, especially when our bed is so close to us. And most importantly, we are trying our best to not eat all the snacks before our next grocery delivery.

One thing is for certain, though, and it’s that we are all in this together. Well, most of us are. There are a select few that have been blessed with energy enough to sprinkle positivity on our social media timelines with their cool DIY activities and delicious food posts. So, naturally, we compare ourselves. You might see some influencers and regular people alike cooking up a delicious storm, getting in a daily mile run and doing endless DIY projects. And then there’s you, trying to figure out if you should even change out of your pajamas today.

Of course, it’s hard to not feel like a failure by not filling up of all this “extra time” with completing all the projects you’ve been wanting to do. Here is a quick reality check, though: social media will always show you the best of people’s lives. No one is going to post about their crying and their binge eats and their struggles if it doesn’t look good. This concept of “extra time” doesn’t exist unless you add more hours in a day. Some of us are juggling a home life while working from home. Some of us are currently unemployed and too worried about our income and family member’s wellbeing to focus on someone’s definition of productivity.

We have to remember that we are in a pandemic and not some sort of twisted productivity contest. Success does not equate productivity. Being productive during times like these takes a toll on our mental states because there are more pressing matters out there than DIYing something new every day. This also leads to a lack of physical activity that no one should feel guilty about because the thought of having no income or any type of security for the future is literally weighing us down. If all you can do is take care of your health during this time, then you are being productive enough.