A fear whispered by a quiet voice before the pandemic now feels as if it is being announced constantly over every loudspeaker around the world: Am I not being as productive as everyone else? It is now impossible to avoid the endless stream of beautiful loaves of bread and ever-improving guitarists who have popped up on Instagram — and that pile of books you’ve been meaning to read has been giving you a more aggressive stare than usual.
To make matters worse, the media’s constant portrayal of frontline workers as heroes keeping society afloat can make us feel especially like dead weight. Countless public figures and influencers promoting quarantine self-improvement, so that we will all be a better version of ourselves once society has resumed its normal course, has also increased the pressure to be productive.
This line of thinking — though often well-intentioned — is not what we should be taking as advice in these times. In fact, it is perfectly natural to be what we would often label as ‘unproductive’ during quarantine.
There is a deeply flawed and nearly ubiquitous belief throughout our society that every second not spent working towards some abstract future goal is wasted time. This is a harmful mentality resulting from being overworked to meet the demands of an industrial economy.
Most people were occupying their time with work and education before lockdown commenced. Whether we were full-time students or working to support ourselves and loved ones, do we not deserve a respite from the exhaustive efforts that industrial society commands of us?
Navigating through an unprecedented world event is in itself something to feel proud of. The goal for these dark days should not be to emerge from the ashes as a better person but to keep oneself from falling into disrepair. This is a survival situation.
If someone was deserted on an island, they would not be trying to spend the endless time available in pursuit of the goals they once had. They would instead be pouring energy into whatever it was that kept them alive and sane until another ship passed by. Instead of comparing ourselves to the accomplishments of others, we should ask ourselves this: Am I doing what it takes to get through this pandemic relatively unscathed? If, barring any matters outside of our control, we feel that we’ll be able to emerge into a post-COVID world and face whatever challenges it presents, then we are accomplishing the only task required of us in these times.
If the answer is no, then we may want to focus on survival as if we were actually on that island. Is my sleep cycle regular and healthy? Am I exercising enough during the day? Am I reaching out to people? These are all important questions to ask, though that doesn’t mean they’re easy — especially if we have to accomplish them in more or less the same tiny room. The struggle to uphold something resembling a healthy routine is a challenge enough for most of us. That’s why the most important question to ask ourselves is this: Am I doing what I need to do?
For me, doing what I need to do may resemble the ideas we have of productivity. I have succumbed to learning how to play the guitar. Believe me, my practice sessions in which I’ve produced the most torturous sounds from my poor acoustic are not what any sane person would call ‘productive.’ But, I’m not learning because I’m worried about falling behind others. Music is something I need to do for me. I’m passionate about it, it lifts me up, and the daily practising adds to my routine. Strumming my guitar maintains my mental health and will allow me to make it through this.
Featured image provided by Isabel Harder
