During the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us were allowed to work from home due to the lockdowns implemented in almost all social settings. In my personal experience, the work from home scheme has allowed me to re-evaluate my life and create changes in my daily routine that are healthy for me. This is how my day would usually look like:
5:30 AM: Wake up
5:30-6:30 Journalling, morning coffee
6:30-8:30 Morning walk and meditation
8:30-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-12:00 Work
12:00-13:30 Lunch and Siesta
13:30-16:00 Work
16:00-17:00 Yoga
17:00-18:00 Afternoon meditation, read a book, meditation, relaxation time
18:00-18:30 Dinner
18:30-20:00 Relaxation
20:30: Sleeping time
Looking at my above schedule, I feel healthy, balanced, and fulfilled. It seems like I do not dedicate much time for work but mind you, I have been very productive in these times. So it is not really about the quantity, yeah? It is about the quality.
Fortunately/Unfortunately, the work from home scheme has ended and we were back to reporting to work face to face. Here's how my day looks like
5:30 AM: Wake up
5:30-6:00 Journalling
6:00-6:30 Prepare for work
6:30-8:00 Travel to work
8:00-11:30 Desk job work/teaching/administrative tasks (online stuff )
11:30-13:00 Lunch
13:00-16:30 Desk job work/teaching/administrative tasks (online stuff)
16:30-18:00 Travel to home
18:00-19:00 Dinner
19:00-20:00 Shower and movie viewing
20:00 Sleeping time
As you can see above (face to face), schedule there is less time for exercise, less time for relaxation, less time for fun, less time to prepare my own food. Not to mention, in my current work, so much time is spent sitting down, so much time is spent in meetings (productive/unproductive). The stress goes to the roof and it hurts my health and affects my choice of food (usually the unhealthy food choice wins). This current schedule does not really support a relaxing, free-flowing, and inspired lifestyle. In fact, one can develop sickness from long-hours of sitting, from accumulated stress, and unhealthy food choices.
I have been living this lifestyle for years but did not really notice how much I have hurt my body and withstood an unhealthy lifestyle. But see, this is not just my life, this could be a similar lifestyle with you, with others and with the majority of those depending their source of income from the mainstream system. Now, that I become aware of this, I am challenged to make adjustments to my everyday schedule to make sure there is balance and ensure that I am making healthy choices for myself in all levels.
I have been reflecting and asking
Could this lifestyle be the cause of so many illnesses nowadays?
If so, is there a way out while at the same time still have abundance in all areas of life?
Were we born to be have this lifestyle for years?
Is the the essence of being a human?
Am I alone in seeing this pattern? Or do you notice it too ?
Drop your thoughts and comments below... would love to hear from you.
In case you find the articles helpful, I'd appreciate a coffee. Also, feel free to ask any questions/topics that you would like me to write about.