Upside of the Pandemic: How Lockdowns Sparked Growth

It was not all gloom and grief, but also good habits and strong connections

I was at the heart of Jakarta, working as a data scientist in a large start-up in Indonesia when this malignant virus took over the air around the globe. I had just moved to this beautiful country with serene and beautiful places like Bali and Thousand Islands less than 2 hours away from me. Within 4 months of moving to this new country, the whole world was hit by this dystopic, and unexpected pandemic. A total shutdown of cities and borders followed.

At first, I was knee-deep in grief from the large number of deaths and agony of the ill across the globe. Often I was struck by anxiety about loved ones who lived in different parts of the world. This apocalyptic reality was immensely mentally taxing and, honestly, somewhat bizarre to come to terms with.

However, at one point within the first 2 months, I decided to redirect my energy to things I always wanted to do but never had the time for, put more effort into my well-being and growth, and focus on matters of the highest priority.

I was one of the privileged ones to have experienced the advantageous side of the pandemic. I am sure it will resonate with many of you.

Elimination of distractions and external stress allowed schedules to fall into place

Every morning I woke up to the morning sun peeking through the curtains, falling on my face. I could do a long yoga sequence involving the full body for as long as I wanted. It sounds snobbishly healthy but I am NOT even joking! I had a hearty breakfast and watered my plants without the rush to get dressed and find a commute. Lunch was in the next room. It cost me no additional time or decision paralysis of what to eat. With no tiredness from a return commute, being in work clothes, or sitting in one posture at a desk for 8 hours, I was ready to get some exercise in. I could go downstairs to swim (barely anybody used it), have a coffee on my balcony, or record a song cover.

After all that, there was still some time left to have a call with my family or a friend. Strictly between 11 and 11:30 p.m., I could slip into a slumber with no fail. That was ground-breaking for me. I have never slept with such regularity before.

Sources of distraction — hectic commutes, draining small talk, eating rather unhealthy cheap lunch outside, presence in redundant meetings — were removed by the system itself. Time slots fell into place in perfect order.

I was forced into developing good habits for survival

Besides forming a good schedule, I was forced to develop good habits. Not because I specifically planned it. It just was the most natural thing to do. If I didn’t eat healthy I was paranoid of weakening my immune system. If I did not reconnect with friends and family online, I was scarily socially isolated. If I did not find sources of good books and music or find creative outlets for myself, I would get bored to hell and back. If I did not cook at home, nearly all meals, I would have to starve as restaurants and food delivery apps closed down.

I was more cognizant of hygiene, nutritious food intake, drinking water, and getting workouts. I made sure to push my family and friends to do the same.

Developing good habits was the survival strategy. The good thing is it created a baseline of habits for some of us.

We were handed plenty of time to build or reform the connection

I had moved back to my home in Bangladesh with my parents midway into the lockdown period just like millions of other people. They lived in a new apartment complex away from the city. A few other families lived in that same complex sprinkled around sparsely. We spent a lot of time together as a family at this time. A couple of other families in the neighborhood and ours formed a community, isolated from the rest, with its own set of entertainment, structure, gossip, and play.

The mothers of the household had 3-feet-apart potluck tea parties. Their creativity with making snacks peaked just like my cooking repertoire had extended.

We were getting tired of digital devices for entertainment and had to invent games and conversations to do with one another. Some of the most fun and fulfilling moments were created organically. Life-long friendships formed across several age groups.

People from this community later moved back to their cities for schooling or work, and some moved to other neighborhoods. We actually reminisce about the days during the lockdown and realize that this kind of communal living is unlikely to happen again. “Those were some golden days”, one of the few people still left in the apartment complex exclaimed last night while walking with my mom for their daily workout.

Once our lives took on the rhythm of the new normal, the stress and fear of the pandemic subsided to some extent. It doesn’t mean people were complacent but people figured out how to be safe and joyous without ignoring the potential health concerns.

Many of us lived the longest stretch of our lifetime with our close family members during the lockdown periods. We focused on things that brought out the truest form of joy and practiced generosity unconditionally.

Those two years were fearsome on the outside and wholesome on the side, there was grief and there was plenty of hope, there was death and there was rejuvenation, and there were departures and there were homecoming.

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