How COVID-19 Made Us Reevaluate Our Lives

The end of 2019 and the start of 2020 isn’t the kind of introduction for our new book of 365 we were all expecting. If we documented it into a bullet journal, we would be left blankly wondering what to do when a day seemed to stretch even more than 24 hours. Despite all the heavy baggage, COVID-19 has brought, it has also given us a perfect gift—TIME. And now, we can reevaluate different aspects of our lives. Have you reviewed yours?

Physical Health

You know that slice of pizza you said was going to be last ain’t going to do your body any good, but you shove it into your mouth anyway. That could have been acceptable before, but you might want to reassess your diet now. Aside from sanitation and maintaining distance, our best shot of surviving the pandemic is having a robust body and strong immune system.

Comorbidities such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and anemia are at greater risk. Although free from this comorbidity, being afflicted with mere COVID-19 can also lead to having an iron deficiency since you’ll experience exhaustion, breathlessness, and mental dysfunctions. Don’t forget to visit a doctor if you think you have this deficiency. They might prescribe you iron supplements you can buy over the counter.

We are all at risk with or without comorbidity, so we have to develop the best practices to keep our physical health in check. Let’s try to incorporate exercise, enough sleep, and a balanced diet into our daily quarantined lives.

Emotional Health

We understand that not everyone enjoys solitude and being restricted from going out. That’s why COVID-19 has taken a toll on our emotional health. Before, we could call our friends and loved ones to grab a bite and discuss what happened at work, your dog, or practically everything and throw in some good laughs.

But COVID-19 made meetups frowned upon since you never know when you will add up to the statistics. While that’s a pity, we could look into ourselves and how we process our emotions. It could be a great start of self-discovery you never knew you needed because you have always relied on others for help.

Mental Health

COVID-19 may have caused the rise of mental health cases, but it has also shed light on mental health—a topic that used to almost be taboo. Now that more information has been spreading online and people are more educated than before, it is acceptable to see a therapist or schedule counseling sessions. You could also learn more about yourself, your triggers, reactions, and solutions. This is just as important as our physical health, so we have to take care of our mental health just as much.

Work-life balance

Community quarantine has forced businesses to either cease operations or shift into a work-from-home setup. Working from home can differ from employee to employee. For some, it could be another work of distinguishing the blurred lines between family time, me time, and work hours. For others, it is saving time from the commute and the convenience of waking up and being two steps away from your workspace. Since we aren’t all in the same boat during the storm, you have to look at your setup and see what works for you.

Establish a place, time, and routine where you could seamlessly complete your work-related tasks. But also set a clear line that you can cross where work can’t reach you. Allot time for your family as well as yourself. Being caught up in working from home can be a burden for some, but if you’d be able to build a system to navigate this mundane routine with enthusiasm, you’re good to go.

Possessions

You weren’t expecting this, were you? Yes. Everything we own matters because it takes up physical space, and our environment immensely affects our lives. Now that you have a lot of time, you can see all the impulse purchases that you could have just allotted to your emergency fund. Since it is already beyond the time frame detailed in the return policy, you can tell yourself to be more mindful of the things you will add to your life. Is it worth a week of work? Will it serve its purpose until it’s clear it has already covered its price? Yes, I can be guilt-tripping, but there’s a lesson to be learned here.

COVID-19 has brought changes that we never pictured would happen during our time. But if we take all these to examine and re-imagine our lives and the lives of the next generation that we would build, we can treat it as more than just a pandemic but a series of lessons we didn’t sign up for because we never knew we needed.