By It’s been almost 3 months now since most of us have been quarantining at home. Practicing social distancing isn’t always easy and it definitely makes it harder to focus on the positive things happening around, and within our lives. Keep reading to see what we think are 9 of the positive consequences of the lockdown:
1. The Environment Is Doing Better
If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s how badly we treat our planet. As soon as we retreated into our homes and minimised our interactions outside, so much in the environment improved. Air pollution levels plummeted because of factories being closed down and less vehicles being on the road. There were less flights being taken so air travel hadn’t been able to contribute to the usual climate emissions. Plus, Venice’s canals cleared up! It’s almost as though our planet was able to breathe again. Not to mention, lockdown gave people a chance to connect with nature and appreciate it. Let’s try not to take it for granted again.
2. Connecting Better With Each Other Than Before
We found new ways to connect with each other during lockdown. We’ve all been heavily reliant on technology for a while, but lockdown proved just how many ways there are for us to interact virtually. Nothing can ever come close to physical contact, but that didn’t stop people from being imaginative with their virtual hangouts. From zoom game nights to virtual Eid dinners – we’ve tried them all! We also gotten a chance to truly explore our relationships with each other and see where we could be doing better.
3. Given Us Time To Reflect And Grow
Being stuck at home with our thoughts for company means we have time to reflect on a lot. We can re-evaluate some of our priorities and also take time to unwind from our otherwise busy lives. There’s so much good that’s coming from this. People have been selflessly donating to charities, checking up on their neighbours and friends, and being a lot more attuned to their emotions.
4. Other Infection Rates Are Going Down
Staying home means that not only are we protecting ourselves against the coronavirus, but also against other infections. According to EU’s data, the spread of Influenza almost vanished across Europe between end of March and April. HIV transmissions have also been reported to be at a low because of the minimised contact people are having with each other.
5. Some People Have Been More Productive Than Usual
It’s okay if you haven’t been productive and have needed this time to just simply catch a breath. In our opinion, getting out of bed these days is a task in itself and we consider doing that as being very productive. But there are some people that have been using this lockdown to channel their energies in a productive manner. They are taking up new hobbies and doing things they never had time to do before. This includes working out, cooking, writing out business plans, painting and so much more – our social media is full of all the great things people are up to right now!
6. People Are Smoking Less
COVID-19 has been a wake up call to many smokers that they need to quit their habit in order to battle this pandemic. Research from YouGov and Action on Smoking and Health suggests that since the lockdown, 300,000 people have been encouraged to stop smoking and another 550,000 people are trying to give up the habit. Giving up smoking means your lungs can thank you. With diseases that can affect your respiratory system such as COVID-19, this is something we need to be taking into consideration.
7. We Understand The Worth Of Our Relationships More
Being away from our friends and family is wake up call. It reminds us of their value in our life and how much joy and love they bring us. If there’s one thing we need to take away from this pandemic, it’s to not take each other for granted. We should be kinder, gentler, and more loving.
8. More Attention Is Being Given To Mental Health
A situation like the current one comes with a lot of uncertainties. It’s been an unsettling time for so many of us and so many people have found it triggering their anxiety or depression. Because of that, a lot more time and effort has been going into creating channels for people to access mental health resources. An example of this is Relive Now’s free virtual clinic; it’s a great way to allow yourself to get a mental health checkup from a therapist. God knows, we all need one these days.
9. People Are Eating Healthier
The lockdown made a lot of us realise that we have…kitchens. Instead of ordering from restaurants, we were forced to eat home cooked meals. And as we all know, they are a lot healthier than most of the food we consume from outside. COVID-19 also made most of us adopt healthier eating practices as a way to combat and prevent the illness. Immunity boosting foods were added to diets, water intake was increased and nutritional supplements started being taken more seriously.
What do you think?
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