LIVING THE i LIFE: ‘I was demotivated and could not get out of bed when shutdown began'

Work from home has been good for me because I was able to work on art on the side. As an artist and a designer, I had to drop the things I loved to do something feasible. I finally got the opportunity to focus on art and that’s got me so excited. Aside from that, mental health-wise, lockdown has not the best. I’ve been spiralling a little and eating less. I have been gaming to vicariously live through someone else. As much as I am making the best of the opportunity, it’s also a little difficult. It’s been three months now, and there’s only so much we can do. I’ve become more productive and focused, but everything else is at a standstill. 

People are losing jobs and everyone is on the edge. It’s a looming fear and emotions are heightened at this time. We also feel more empathetic towards people. At one point, I was so demotivated I couldn’t move out of bed. I messaged some people on Instagram that I follow, and they motivated me to do more. They responded so sweetly and they also shared how difficult the shutdown was for them, too. It also helped them, because they also felt more secure in what they were doing, and we made plans to meet after the shutdown.