While the lockdown since March has resulted in environmental pollution going down, wild life appearing in towns and parents getting to spend more time with their children, it has also affected adults and children alike in more challenging ways. A lot has been written already about the impact of a global pandemic which made human beings fearful of stepping outside their homes aside, I would just like to focus on how it has impacted work-life balance for people and how it may be affecting relationships and mental health.

According to the Financial Times, for each month of lockdown, a country’s GDP could reduce by 3% because of economic slow-down. For those who have lost their jobs as a direct result of the lockdown, there is massive uncertainty in finding work in such uncertain times. Joblessness is one of the major factors in relationship discord as loss of livelihood also means a loss of status and potency for the individual.
While it has meant that a majority of people have had quality time with their spouse and children it has also introduced a new level of difficulty. Most people were unprepared for what the lack of routine would mean for them. Without the daily grind of commuting to work and rushing around one would expect to feel less stressed and have more time for pleasure and relaxation, right?

A lot of people who lived alone had an especially hard time, coping on their own. But those living with others had their own struggles. The lockdown also meant people came face to face with their more difficult thoughts and feelings that they may have managed through leaving the house for work, avoiding confrontations by living parallel lives. This has been even harder for those living with abusive partners as the number of domestic violence cases has risen.

However, with so much free time on people’s hands there was an expectation that those of us who knew how to optimize our time would take up painting, read a book a week or even learn a new language. This invisible pressure to utilize time meant that some people felt bad about waking up later and not ‘achieving’ enough. What was not being taken in to account was that this was not at all like a holiday. People started to feel stuck at home without much routine and a real purpose to their day.

The 24 hour media sounded more and more hysterical about the danger that lay outside and the rising number of infections the world over. One was fighting an invisible enemy but with added expectations of ourselves to do more with our days at home. A trip to the local grocery store became a challenge, with people feeling threatened by the risk of infection. What was an everyday activity now become a challenge, but again it’s impact was mostly not acknowledged by most people.

While social media helped bring friends and family together it also meant people spent a lot more time in front of a screen, since not everyone had a private outdoor space. Being cut off from family and friends has in fact been a big loss for people, one that has often been under estimated. Scientific research shows that the human brain produces the ‘feel good’ hormone oxytocin for something like thirty minutes after hugging a friend or family member. Perhaps counting all the conversations, hugs and handshakes that an average person has missed out might make us realize the real impact of the last few months of lockdown.

There needs to be a much bigger focus on educating people about the impact on mental health from the pandemic and the resultant lockdown. Self-care must be given priority over being productive. This may mean different things to different people. It doesn’t necessarily mean yet another task to be accomplished but a change in how we all approach each day. If mindfulness and or yogic breathing is not part of your routine, or does not take your fancy, perhaps turning off all devices for a few minutes starting with five minutes a day and noticing any tension in your body with acceptance and acknowledgement of everything that is on your plate might help. Better mental health cannot be achieved in a day; it has to be built upon.

Next time you feel the urge to do more perhaps being curious about where that is coming from might help.
Now that the lockdown rules are easing up in most places, everyone will have their own set of concerns. We can’t all expect to feel completely safe going in to shops and mixing with people. Taking time to thinking and discussing such matters might reduce one’s stress levels in the days and weeks to come. If you have access to a good therapist or a counsellor then it may be the best avenue to seek help.