Since we've been self-isolating because of this global health crisis, I've seen a lot of things going around on social media telling people that they're lazy if they don't take this time to learn that new skill they've been thinking about or if they don't (visibly) accomplish something while we're all at home doing "nothing".
I completely understand that some people cope with stress by staying busy so they don't have to think about the stress. I used to be one of those people. It's actually how I survived four years of college with untreated OCD. (This is not the way I cope now.) I also completely understand the oh-so-American idea that we have to be (visibly) productive for every possible moment that we aren't trying to get, like, five hours of sleep at night.
Here's the thing, though. This isn't really "down time" in which we have nothing to do. This is a high stress situation. Our routines, and for those of us with mental health conditions, the routine that helps us manage our mental health condition (including access to mental health treatement) has been disrupted. That stress alone is enough for in increase in symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and every other chronic condition that is exacerbated by stress. Add to that stress the worrying whether or not someone we love is going to become ill or that we might fall ill, and Survival Mode is activated for many people right now. That means (visible, socially-accepted) productivity might be taking a backseat to just making it through the day.
Sure, many people have been talking about learning something new or accomplishing something big when they had the time, but just because they aren't leaving the house to go to work every day and they're stuck at home doesn't mean they have the time. It can mean the opposite, actually. It can mean that a lot of us are working overtime just to make sure we aren't living in a constant state of panic and/or hopelessness. Also, our brains may not be processing as much as they normally would due to stress and the increase in mental and physical symptoms associated with our mental health conditions, so learning the new skill is going to have to wait for non-pandemic downtime. Just getting out of bed, eating something, trying to connect with friends and family, and watching things that make us laugh might be the only things we accomplish THIS ENTIRE TIME because it's about surviving right now. We can get back to thriving and being "productive" after we've survived.
I know this might sound un-American, but, mental health aside, people are allowed to rest. Stress is exhausting for everyone. Working, even from home, is exhausting. Life, in general, even when we aren't in the middle of a global health crisis, is stressful and exhausting. It doesn't mean that anyone is lazy for taking this time to rest even if that means sleeping late, taking a nap, soaking in the tub like it's spa day, re-reading favorite books, or watching all of their favorite movies. Rest is good. It's good for your mind, body, and soul.
I'll end with this: Just because other people use this time to be visibly productive doesn't mean that those who use this time to simply survive are lazy. Taking time to rest and refresh is also not lazy. Rest is crucial to our overall well-being. So, please, be mindful of the way you speak to and about others. Also, please be kind to yourself if you didn't get to accomplish all the things you wanted to do during self-isolation because of how the changes and the stress impacted your mental health. Surviving, practicing self-care, and maintaining mental health are just as productive as learning the new skill or, say, redecorating your entire house.
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