CUT YOURSELVES SOME SLACK

Everyday I wake up tired from the night before when I stayed up late, cramming the last pieces of work I had to turn in. Most days, I manage to get myself out of bed on time, start the day off with a bowl of cereal, and join my Zooms. Occasionally, I miss my alarm and oversleep.

At the start of quarantine, I set goals, got organized, and pushed myself to meet every deadline. Now, I find myself gravitating towards making bracelets with my mom, baking with my brothers, and watching CNN with my dad. As the sun sets each day, reality sets in: tomorrow will be more of the same. At around 7 p.m., I remember the heaps of work I have to get done. Not only does this require me to be back at the screen, but it also requires for myself to suddenly become motivated. If I’m honest, I sit at my desk feeling restless, but equally not ready to get the work done.

Throughout my life, I have always been motivated and on the go. Whether it is shown through my tennis or school work, I make sure to always be ready to put in 100%. Both my family and friends know that I put a lot of pressure on myself to reach “perfection”. However, now that our daily routines have changed, I often find myself discouraged and unmotivated--feelings I rarely experience that have now become regular. But I have come to realise over the past few weeks that it is okay to not always give 100%.

Through numerous phone calls with friends, I have seen that I am not alone: we are all in the same boat. It is okay to lower the bar a little and focus on our mental health and self care. We are living through political, social, and economic turmoil -- something that most of us have never experienced before. Hence, we need to cut ourselves some slack. What was giving 100% six weeks ago, is not the same as giving 100% today--what may currently look like 80% by pre-quarantine standards, may be 100% right now.

At home, there are constant distractions that we are simply not used to. On top of being around our families 24/7, we are being exposed to the distressing information on the pandemic. It is a truly scary and unprecedented time, and updates circulating on our news feeds heightens our fears on what is to come.

We hope we will be back to school in September but we truly don’t know for sure. We hope we will be able to enjoy our summers as we usually do, but we just don’t know. Such uncertainty increases our stress levels and the best we can do is take it easy on ourselves, especially when it comes to our school work.

So what can we do to be kinder to ourselves in this time? Firstly, instead of burying ourselves into our screens, take a look outside. Being in quarantine, provides many opportunities for us to appreciate nature by spending time outdoors. Make space in your day to take advantage of the sunshine.

Try not to overthink and give yourself a break from the news. It is easy for our minds to get lost in the overwhelming and often negative news. We must recognize that this situation is out of our control and we must not dwell on the things we cannot change. Instead, embrace this time by giving yourself opportunities to discover new hobbies and passions.

Although we may not be with our loved ones directly, take time to contact your friends and family. Whether it be through social media, Zoom, or facetime, check in with them and make conversation as if you were meeting in person. This will not only put a smile to your face, but will also be a distraction from the extra pressures and stress on your plates.

Allow yourself to disconnect from the world and relax. Although distance learning should not be treated as a vacation, try creating new expectations for yourself. Accept that it is okay to feel discouraged and unmotivated; we all are.

Throughout this pandemic the world has drastically changed and will continue to change. Although the end is not in sight, we need to take it day by day. Cut yourselves some slack, try taking care of your mental health and, most importantly, recognize that we are all in this together.