Like most people, when the Coronavirus first hit China I had never imagined that things would take such a serious turn.

Escalating from a grave disease to a dreaded pandemic, the COVID-19 has quickly unleashed fear and terror in everyone. In the absence of any effective medication on the market, the only way to tackle this at present is through social distancing and self-isolation.

With the Indian government declaring a lockdown, similar to other countries, several corporate employees like me are working from home. Do I like it? Not really. But have I adapted to it? Yes.

This situation, like any other, is a mixed bag with its own set of ups and downs. Let me list some of these according to my experience.

Among the advantages, the first is that I can spend more time with my family.

Ever since I began working in my early 20s, this is the first time that I’ve had the opportunity to spend so much time at home.

As a result, I’m interacting more with each of my family members and have greater time to play with my daughter too.

At times, the shared space can create more friction than usual, but it has also brought us closer as a family. I feel that we are all part of a unit, and are here to swim or sink together.

Another good side of being quarantined is that it has saved me plenty of expenses for commuting to and from work.

As I live on the outskirts of the city, I would have to travel via train to reach the office. From the time I set out from home to the point when I entered my workplace, it would take nearly 2 hours.

Though this seemed to be no big deal at the time, at present I am grateful for saving these precious hours. It has given me more scope to rest and live life at a slower and more relaxed pace. It is a blessing indeed!

Time is not the only thing that I’m saving during the lockdown. Yes, you’ve got it. Money is being saved too.

The allotted amount that I generally set apart for travelling is left untouched and I can spend it on other essentials.  

This is a godsend in the current uncertainty that is grappling us. With a slowdown in the economy and many industries reaching a standstill, the saved currency notes are coming of great use.  

The imposed isolation has separated me not only from my colleagues (whom I view more like friends with whom I chat and laugh every day) but also from my friends and relatives.

However, with the help of advanced technology and the internet, I have learned to successfully overcome the barrier of distance.

Skype, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom, the phone as well as various social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have kept me connected to all those important to me.

The lack of physical proximity has not been able to come in the way of relationships – be it in the personal or professional sphere. I had not imagined that this would be possible but thanks to the strides in science, the problem of distance has been overcome.

On the flip side, there are often distractions at home such as background noise, the interruption of household work, and so on.

Also, when it comes to teaching my junior teammates different technical processes related to web designing, being present in person works much better.

Earlier, I would be able to guide and show them directly by sitting next to them. However, now that this is no longer possible remote guidance is the only way. Nevertheless, we are managing and making the best of it. So far, so good.        

The Kind of Tasks Coming My Way

Being a web designer and virtual assistant, I am fortunate in being able to assist MyTasker’s clients to run their businesses as smoothly as possible. Many of them, who had a scarcity of time to elaborate their tastes and specifications earlier, are discussing their designing-related tasks explicitly. 

Post the Coronavirus scare, most of the assignments are in some way related to the pandemic. I have created and posted special website updates related to measures a particular company has taken to protect its employees and customers from the pandemic.

In addition, my team and I have created flyers, posters, and newsletters announcing various offers by companies to their customers. I am glad to be of service during this period of crisis.

Final Thoughts

Time has slowed down to a halt and it seems like we are all living in a frozen moment. However, this crucial time has also taught us to be more interdependent than ever.

Governments are reaching out to their people, larger businesses are helping smaller ones and we are all moving forward as a team.

With the rat race out of the window and the economy hitting one of the deepest pits, the Coronavirus crisis has taught me to treasure each moment and be of assistance as much as possible to those around me. It has both strengthened and humbled me to the core.