The current situation with the Coronavirus has left a lot of us with a lot more time on our hands. When we are faced with a lot of time, problems can arise, problems like loss of motivation, overthinking and becoming too negative. Fear can also set in. However, I do believe it is possible to remain motivated, but it’s also all too easy to find yourself slightly lost and unsure how to manage this time.
If we have lost our motivation, then how do we find it again, especially when we are not attending classes anymore, and how do we get rid of those negative thoughts that time allows?
I read a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt (1960, p.45) in her book You Learn by Living where she addresses and talks about the issue of time: ‘We have all the time there is. The problem is: How shall we make the best of it?’
Eleanor talks about creating an ‘inner calm’ which is the ability to work without letting outside influences in, being able to work undisturbed, and allowing yourself to become absorbed within your work to help you maintain a focus. This way, you can achieve what you need to. Create a routine but be flexible with this routine, arrange time slots for certain exercises or writing, but allow for flexibility – something could happen, and you don’t want to be so rigidly stuck in your routine that you can’t get out of it.
If we follow Eleanor’s advice about time management, we could use our free time more constructively, allowing our minds less chance to wonder and think negatively. There’s no doubt that this is a very uncertain time for us all, but if we can allow ourselves some sort of routine and nothing too rigid, then we can give ourselves the best chance to remain positive whilst allowing time for ourselves and creating an ‘inner calm’ which is equally important.
We will get through this!