Maintaining our sanity amid the pandemic and political anomalies

 Maintaining our sanity amid the pandemic and political anomalies 

 

By Amy Luz U. Catalan

 

La Paz, Iloilo City

11 August 2020

 

 

Living in a pandemic takes a toll on our general well-being. Not only does it threaten our physical response against the virus that causes the deadly COVID-19, it also poses a greater risk on our emotional and mental health. To save ourselves from succumbing to the dangers that it presents to us, we need to be aware that our survival depends on our ability to dodge being part of the rising cases and safeguard ourselves from the eventual damage that it may cause us. 

 

These days, not only are we challenged to keep ourselves healthy to combat COVID-19,  but we are simultaneously being plagued by the corrupt practices in the government and some of its agencies, especially those that get caught in the misuse of funds and resources like the Philippine Health Insurance or PhilHealth (Romero and Nonato, 2020). Also, this inability of the government to plan for and manage the health problems, especially when the country is on top of the list that is unable to handle this health crisis (Beltran, 2020), makes us more anxious and uncertain of the times.

 

So, it remains our personal responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and the community, in general, to overcome this two-pronged crisis when the government cannot establish a full-proof plan to protect the Filipino population (Jaymalin & Crisostomo, 2020). What are we doing to do now? 

 

(Still) Observe Health Protocols

 

The most important action that we need to do is to continue observing the health protocols: washing of hands, wearing of face mask and shield, and distancing from crowds (World Health Organization, 2020). Since there’s no vaccine as of the moment, prevention is still the best course of action to take. It also pays to refrain from doing unnecessary trips to the supermarkets or stepping out of our homes on non-emergency errands because of the cases of local transmission that are rising in various parts of the city (Daily Guardian, 2020). So, it goes without saying that to be complacent at this time is tantamount to spreading the virus to where it does not belong: our homes.

 

Enjoy your Sundays More

 

The most valuable activity that we can make is to master the art of sleeping in and staying in bed on Sunday mornings. We’ve got to prioritize our well-being especially in these busy and trying times. Here are some ways on how to do this:

 

1.     Prepare your bedroom. Make the bedroom cozy by using soft lights. Firefly lights (the ones that you usually decorate your windows on Christmas) may be used to create soft glows inside the room.  Reminder: Before dozing off to sleep, switch off the lights as these might pose some serious fire hazard.  A night light if you’re not used to sleeping in a very dark room.  Use floral scents (Lavender is the best!) to enhance the atmosphere in the room and to induce sleep.  (Fismer & Pilkington, 2012). Remember not to use scented candles because they are not good for your respiratory health (Thomson, 2019).  You can buy a diffuser  and essential (Lavender) oil at the malls. Switch on the AC to make your bedroom cool, and turn it off later to use an electric fan. Direct the fan to the walls to create a breeze-like flow.  Turn on the music. Choose soft rock, instrumental or your favorite songs while you drift off to dream land.

 

2.     Prepare yourself. Take a warm shower and drink a glass of warm milk. It is also best to wear light clothing that will allow you to move easily and freely even while you’re asleep. Meditate for 20 to 30 minutes in bed. This will help calm your mind and your heart, and sets your body to rest. 

 

3.     Enjoy your Sunday morning. Your body usually gets used to waking up early on weekdays. So, on weekends do not set your alarm. If your body is tired, it will tell you to rest a little while longer. It’s okay to sleep in on Sundays. Upon opening your eyes, don’t move or get up just yet. Meditate for 20- 30 minutes and think of what a great day you’re going to have. Meditate on what you need on that day and the rest of the week to have a peaceful and joyful heart. Say grace and be grateful. When you finally get up for coffee (or to have breakfast), do not rush. Take your sweet time. Switch on the music. Dance or move in rhythm to the tunes.

 

 

Establish Virtual Social Connection 

 

Life in quarantine has never been a breeze. For months now, we are under “lock and key” as our frontliners battle the virus for us. The social landscape in the city has changed, and we are wary to go out. So, while confined in our homes, we can still socialize with our family, friends, and colleagues by having an online or virtual connection with them (Indeed Career Guide, 2020).

 

1.     Have coffee e-sesh. Scheduling time with friends and colleagues for coffee is a sure-fire way to enjoy your early morning or mid-afternoon moments. If you have connected to the internet, you can use some video apps to see your friends while you enjoy your coffee (Reminder: Buy local.)

2.     Schedule Zoom reunions. Staying in touch with elementary, High school and college classmates in this pandemic will help in keeping your joy. If Zoom is not available, there are other platforms that you can tap, like FB video messenger, Whatsapp, Viber, and many others. 

3.     Dance your quarantine blues away. There are many videos on YouTube that you and your friends can use to shake away the feeling of dread and lethargy. Get up and move that body, folks!

4.     Establish storytelling times. Read or tell a story from your favorite books. Gather on Zoom or any video platform and spend an afternoon gabbing about a character or the plot from your favorite story.  Ask as many friends as you possibly can to join this virtual storytelling. 

5.     Play online games. There are so many games that can be found online  without  violence and noise. Explore the web for games of Scrabble, Word Blitz and also for Candy Crush, Farmville, among others. Compete against your friends for fun!

 

 

So, there we go! There are many more activities that we can do for fun and for connecting with our significant others. Just make sure that we won’t neglect to stay away from our screens from time to time and connect with the people in our homes. 

 

Have a safe and healthy quarantine period. See you at the end of this health crisis!

 

References

 

Beltran, Michael. (2020). ‘The Philippines’ Pandemic Response: A Tragedy of Errors 

The Duterte administration’s COVID-19 response marries incompetence with militarism’. The Diplomat. May 12, 2020. Available at https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/the-philippines-pandemic-response-a-tragedy-of-errors/. (Accessed August 9, 2020). 

 

Daily Guardian. (2020). ‘Mayor assures virus spread under control despite surge in cases’. August 8, 2020. Available at https://dailyguardian.com.ph/mayor-assures-virus-spread-under-control-despite-surge-in-cases/. (Accessed August 9, 2020).

 

Fismer, Kate and Pilkington, Kate Louise. (2012). ‘Lavender and sleep: A systematic review of the evidence’. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 4, Issue 4, December 2012. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382012010700. (Accessed on August 9, 2020). 

 

Indeed Career Guide. (2020). ‘9 Virtual Social Activities To Stay Connected’. April 1, 2020. Available at https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/virtual-social-activities. (Accessed August 10, 2020).

Jaymalin, Mayen and Crisostomo, Sheila. (2020). ‘Inappropriate Tests, Failing Strategies: Why The Gov’t Is Losing The Battle Against COVID-19, According To Healthcare Workers’. One News. August 3, 2020. Available at https://www.onenews.ph/inappropriate-tests-failing-strategies-why-the-gov-t-is-losing-the-battle-against-covid-19-according-to-healthcare-workers (Accessed August 9, 2020).

Nonato, Vince and Romero, Paolo. (2020). ‘PhilHealth Officials Face P15-Billion Fraud, Other Allegations; Funds Seen To Run Out By 2022’. One News. August 5, 2020. Available at https://www.onenews.ph/philhealth-officials-face-p15-billion-fraud-other-allegations-funds-seen-to-run-out-by-2022. (Accessed August 9, 2020).

Thomson, Lizzie. (2019). ‘Are scented candles bad for your health?. Metro. October 11,  2019. Available at  https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/11/are-scented-candles-bad-for-your-health-10903194/. (Accessed August 9, 2020).

 

World Health Organization. (2020). ‘Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public’. Available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public. (Accessed on August 9, 2020).