Adaptable

We are all tired of hearing about Covid-19 and the quarantine time, right? This virus that has completely changed our lifestyle and plans for 2020. Switzerland is about to start its 3-stage plan to de-quarantine the population. This is definitely good news, we all think, as we are just a couple of weeks of “going back to reality”. But here is what bothers me: do we have to go back to our previous lifestyle? And in what mental state are we getting out of isolation?

Let me tackle the second question first. Over the past month, social media has been the biggest winner in keeping population distracted from isolation. Posts about what to do in quarantine, how to keep our social life and maintain our motivation to still have the best year/time of our lives have definitely been the trend. But these have consequences, as it clearly states a line between those who win and lose during quarantine. Those who have anxiety and still panic because of the virus, and those who are just numb or in denial to the severity of the situation.

The most shocking (borderline annoying) post I saw was: “If you have not learned something new during this quarantine, you did something wrong”. My first thoughts where What? and Why?!
Now, if you are teleworking or having online classes, then yes you are learning something new, but are we also supposed to be ultra-productive the rest of the time? This type of posts are sending a pretty disturbing message, especially as it comes from a privileged perspective. It is promoting a sort of quarantine competition on who gets out the best after this is “over”.

It assumes that people must be doing something productive during the crisis, as if we were all living in the same scenario and under the same conditions; which we are not. We need to remember that even in Europe we have different levels of isolation, Switzerland has been one of the most flexible, so one can only imagine how the situation is in other parts of the globe. This is not a regular time and it is not a productivity retreat or contest, it is a world crisis. It is a slow marathon and we take it one day at a time.

Whether you are at home with family or with roommates, we can choose to use our time as we please. But this does not mean that is wrong having a low-key anxiety level, to fear the uncertainty of what will come next, or even to be angry sometimes. These emotions are just normal, and they all contribute to an extra weight on our mental state, which becomes draining. Causing also some trouble sleeping or extra fatigue during the day, even though we have technically more available hours. People are just emotionally exhausted, and that is okay! So, when someone posts a message of “We need to take advantage of this time” through posts like the aforementioned; it is telling the reader that it’s wrong to feel anxious, scared or even tired, it is pain-shaming. And losing empathy and solidarity is not what we need now.

Thus, no matter the outcomes ex-post lifting the quarantine bans, as long as we keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and healthy (in body and mind) we are doing more than enough. We will learn to readjust and adapt again. Because going back out there to re-start our life, at the same point where it stopped, is more than enough. And if you did gain anything during this time, it is also more than enough. Because surviving the quarantine is more than enough.

Given this, let me recall my first question: Do we have to go back to our previous lifestyle? And I want to emphasize on the “going back” bit. Because we have seen the shifts that had to be done in different parts of the world and the positive consequences they have lead. From companies stopping their production and start making medical equipment, airlines completely grounded, government’s daily decisions to (try to) keep their citizens safe. The last 30-plus days have been extremely heavy for so many but they show how adaptable and resilient humans can be.

Clean air as a result of the lack of flights, cars and factories working; animals coming back to old habitats like empty beaches; water filling up rivers once again as garbage pollution is reduced; and the list goes on. The positive results of this worldwide lockdown have been huge, as we have gained an intrinsic compromise to a more empathic civilization and to a healthier environment, but with the need of strong leaders who are responsible enough to make hard decisions when needed.

The main output we need to focus after the isolation period finishes, is that the business as usual model cannot be the one to go back to. This pandemic is the perfect scenario for companies and governments to demonstrate their compromise to sustainability, and for investors to give a new meaning to capital value. Even more to us, to ensure our position as responsible consumers. If in a month of quarantine, with the odds against us, we were able to pull this off, can we imagine what would happen if everyone commits to innovation and sustainable development? It is no longer a what if-scenario, as we are seeing it work under the current pressure; we just need to be adaptable enough towards change.

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less”

– Marie Curie