How we are coping with the pandemic: People share their stories

The spread of the coronavirus has caused massive disruptions in how people live. There is also a lot of uncertainty about whether we can go back to the way we lived in pre-covid times, at all. People are anxious about not being able to do the simplest of things, like getting a haircut, or meeting friends, taking the train perhaps. The social and economic fallout of the pandemic– loss of livelihoods, fall in incomes, and social isolation– has led to people feeling anxious and distressed.

There are also those, especially women, who have had to bear a larger share of domestic work as children are not in school and elders may need more attention. In a survey done by the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) women respondents said that their domestic responsibilities had increased, and they were also more stressed, compared to men.

We asked some of our readers to share their experiences of coping with the pandemic, the lockdown, and working from home, here’s what they had to say:

Nikhil Bakshi, 37

This year sometimes feels like being stuck in a movie theater watching a painfully long and dramatic Bollywood movie where the plot just progressively makes less sense, and you can’t even fast forward through any of the songs or leave.

Anjali Kapoor Gaba, 33

These past few months have been anything but easy both professionally and personally. As with most other crises, women have been the biggest sufferers in this pandemic. They’ve been stretched thin fulfilling the numerous tasks that society and their career demands of them and it doesn’t look like anyone has any solutions to their ongoing misery.

I’ve been juggling raising a toddler, managing the household and working two jobs (a family business and a consultation project) during this lockdown. And believe me, it’s been one hell of a roller coaster ride. Cleaning, cooking, washing, changing, potty-training and working has consumed every single minute of my time.

There have been days when I haven’t had the time to comb my hair or so much as look myself in the mirror. Between back to back zoom calls, followed by never-ending phone calls and thousands of household errands I have often lost track of my health, personal grooming and pretty much anything that I did for myself. For the first time in years, I have pined for my singleton days.

Adil Hussain, 34

These are uncertain times. Ones that make me anxious but also carefree as there is not much that we can do about it. There seems to be no middle path. These are matters of life and death, and I have been pendulating between extreme emotions. I am happy and grateful that I have a job and eat my regular meals. What about those who don’t? And what about those who have lost their dear ones? Although agnostic, yet the past 4-5 months have forced me to reconsider and be more reflective.

Alisha Singh, 33

I think the lockdown has taught me two very important things – patience and resilience. From having everything done for us, we’re making the effort to do it ourselves – and now it’s happening subconsciously. Dirty dishes used to stack up and now the sink is always empty. If we find the floor dirty, it’s swept up immediately. It’s truly about resilience and pushing forward, one day at a time.

On the work front, I have found ways to engage more with the team I manage. Even though we were working doubly hard, we tried to ease the workload and organised activities like cook-offs and modelling competitions – all done virtually. We need to be sensitive to how our colleagues are doing, and build camaraderie, stay united, and motivated.

Nitya, 31

Working from home has been especially challenging because I’ve transitioned out of my pre-covid role with an organisation and started a new role with another. Thankfully, both my old and new teams have been very understanding of my needs. I’m trying to maintain professional productivity at home by following a scheduled timetable for my work day, keeping it as close to a regular day as possible. I also make sure to check in with colleagues. Working professionals like me also have a lot to thank our domestic help for.

Harpreet Kaur, 39

My company put all its employees on a furlough in may, and there was a lot of uncertainty and stress because of that. I was unsure if I would be able to go back to work at all. But being at home was the best time for me to explore myself, I realised that I was lost in the rat race. I feel like I have had the opportunity to rediscover myself. There has been a lot of baking, I have been cooking a lot of new dishes for the family, I have also found the time to do bottle painting, these are some of my hobbies I have indulged in during this time.

(Some names have been changed as per the sources’ requests)

Disclaimer

Information on this website is provided for general informational purposes only, even when it features the advice of a physician or healthcare professional. It is not intended to be and should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare professional. As always, you should consult your physician.

The views represented in the articles are the views of the experts featured and do not necessarily represent the views of Femoai.

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