I’m sure many people have seen quotes and inspiring posts from Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or whatever media platform you have been using in the last month related to mental health and routines. From something along the lines of “we are all in this together” or “check on your loved ones”, it is a great reminder that everyone is struggling during these times and no one has it figured out. However, the overloading “inspiring posts” I’ve seen about sticking to routines and getting as much done in a day as you normally would, slightly irritates me. I was scrolling through Instagram and came across a quote saying something along the lines of
“If you don’t come out of quarantine with a new side hustle or new skill learned, you lack discipline.”
When I read this, I felt completely sick.
Yes, sticking to routines and learning a new skill or trying something new during this time is great and if you’re in that mindset that’s fine, good for you and keep it up! However, putting people down for how they are coping with these unsettling, devastating and difficult times is what we are not going to do.
Our generation and society are obsessed with an unhealthy mindset stating you can’t sleep enough, can’t take the time to process your emotions, absolutely can’t take a day off, and to basically work yourself into the ground in order to be accepted in a hustle environment and to reach our ideas of success. It’s so easy to get caught up in these ideas that we don’t even realize how unhealthy this may be, especially during this time when so many lives have been impacted and changed. It’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to lay in bed half the day if you’re emotionally exhausted. It’s okay to not go on a 5 a.m. run then make a gourmet breakfast, do an ab workout, learn a new skill, do your homework, finish your business plan, take a fire Instagram selfie and figure out your entire life in a day. All of the things we are trained to think of that qualify as being productive and what successful people do is not up to others. How you take care of yourself and what works for you, is the most important mindset.
Yes, we all feel better when we know we are being productive or have achieved things throughout our days. But labeling yourself as lazy or others for simply taking a break and acknowledging what we are all experiencing is different to each individual and how we cope with change and the natural aspects of life. Everyone needs a reminder about now, that it’s okay to slow down and take this time to explore new things you may not get to on your “typical day” before this happened. Forming healthy habits and a healthy lifestyle is still important and honestly having a set routine is the most important part for myself to navigate through the rollercoaster of life and everyday struggles. However, it’s okay to relax and understand these circumstances are different. Get in tune with yourself and understand what works best for you and how you and only you are coping with these times.
Comparing ourselves to others especially during times like these are when our mental, physical and emotional health suffer the most. Take a step back, ask yourself what you really want to do and what makes you feel the best, not what productivity or success looks like through others. Make a small list of what makes you happy, things you would like to try, a routine that you wouldn’t be able to do normally and make it happen. We are all in this together and could all use this simple reminder. Stop comparing and feeding into ideas that you think are what society labels as productive. Relax and make this time custom to you.