Quarantines are never a good thing. They are the restriction on the movement of people, intended to prevent the spread of disease. Yet, we've found a way to turn this period into an obsession with productivity; focusing on our ability to upskill, create a side hustle, or learn a new language. Even more exhausting is the obsession with a looming recession, to build the next billion-dollar company, like Airbnb, Uber, and Instagram. Though there have been a record number of unemployment claims, mass layoffs, and economic hardship, this is not a recession, yet.
So why the uptick in productivity now?
When we're bombarded by the number of positive coronavirus tests and those who have died. The answer lies in our inability to be still and make sense of our feelings. This mindset is a reflection of America's hustle culture, where we must get the most out of every working minute. Sadly, sometimes this comes at the expense of our mental well-being.
For some, their jobs were lost, left with a future of uncertainty. While the essential workers selflessly do their part to protect and provide for others. We are fighting a battle with an invisible force that's changing the way we work, think, and play. Productivity is not a priority. This quarantine is not a paid vacation. The sooner we realize this, the more gentle we'll become, recognizing the need for love and connection.
Our ability to produce is our identity. The Internet wants you to believe that you aren't doing enough. Like our world would come crashing down without constant output. What would happen if you did nothing? I promise taking a break from the computer or building out your next big course won't affect you. There's plenty you can do just for the fun of it.
Practice Gratitude Journaling
If there's anything that this virus has shown us, it's the fragility of life. Write about a time you were grateful for something a loved one did for you. Got out of bed this morning? Journal it! Have a clean bill of health? Journal it! Are you spending more time with your family? Journal it!
Try Taking an Online Cooking Class
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Instead of seeing cooking as a chore, you can view it as a fun activity. It relieves stress and reduces negative thinking. Author of Addicted to Stress, Debbie Mandel, says, "Cooking is a great destresser because it serves as a creative outlet. And while stress can numb your senses, cooking activates them."
Adult Coloring
Coloring for adults helps reduce anxiety. Research has proven that it can be used as a prelude to conventional therapy for many mental disorders.
At-Home Workouts
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Working out has nothing to do with reaching your fitness goals. Exercise produces endorphins, chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers, and also improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. The best at-home workouts don't necessarily require a ton of equipment or any equipment at all.
I'm not asking you to stop working. Do what you need to do to feel good. I am asking you to not use productivity as a scapegoat for not living in the present. Now is the time to embrace the little things that have a lasting impact.
Flattening the curve of infection depends on us. Your only duty right now is to help fight this virus through social distancing. Remember, laughter is good for the soul; gratitude raises your vibrations; staying home can save lives, including yours. Please take care of yourself.
Featured image by Shutterstock
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xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
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Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images
