This Time

We have been home for almost three weeks now and I am getting a bit concerned.  No, it's not because I am not allowed to go out but because my to-do list is not getting any shorter. At the beginning of the lockdown, I had some targets and now I feel they won't be met. I have been able to pin my seeming failure to some factors like lack of real free time, inadequate planning and overambitious goals.

Any teacher in South Africa will tell you that this is not a holiday. In fact, it sometimes feels worse than being in school. Teaching online means you are having contact time on Zoom and your email and WhatsApp are clogged with messages from parents, colleagues and students alike. One would need a secretary to get through the messages on a daily basis. And then, you have to prepare for the next day.  So I realised that I do not have the ‘free’ time I thought I had.

Usually when we envisage free time, there is the tendency to romanticize it. It is like suddenly time would stand still or the normal 24 hours will increase to whatever number we desire it to be.  But alas, suddenly you wake up and your plans are just that - plans.

Closely linked to this is setting unrealistic goals like intending to read two novels in a week when you have a myriad of other things to do. Being ambitious is good, but being overambitious is likely to land one in trouble when you suddenly feel like an underachiever.

But there must be a way out of this conundrum. First, there is a need to set realistic goals and plan your time accordingly. Whether, you have to work from home or not, you need to keep your mind occupied. Whatever the case, plan to rest. This time will pass and if you have spent valuable time getting agitated over something you have no control over, what would you have gained? 

Another issue is lack of exercise and then does anyone else suddenly have to eat more when at home, or is it just me? There is a need to burn calories while indoors. I know there are many ingenious ways on the internet; please send them my way.

If you have to work from home, plan your time well. Take a realistic view of the available time you have.  How many hours do you need to achieve your daily goals? I am taking it for granted that you will do yourself a favour and set achievable goals.

Whether you have to work from home or not, take time to be in the presence of the Lord. What about using the time you normally use to commute to work as your quiet time? At least that is free time.

Many of us may be struggling with young children who need to be engaged. Try getting them occupied with projects. There are many free resources available online. Check my last post for some. Please send more as you come across them. A sister told me she ensures she maintain a timetable for her young children so there is a sense of order and variety. She finds that ensuring they take naps in the afternoon helps keep her sanity.

Thank God that the Coronavirus is not contracted online, so keep in touch with people, but don’t spend all your time there.

Don’t just count the days you are spending in the lockdown, let the time count as well. Plan carefully and execute.

I Bi Dem.