#SGUnited – In recent weeks, this hashtag has appeared so frequently on different platforms, and made known to us through various mediums. #WFH, #Weareinthistogether – some of the commonly used hashtags that fill our Instagram feeds – reminds us that yes, we are all in this together. This refers to not just Singapore on her own, but countries all over the world, who have and will come together, to beat this virus that has taken our lives by storm, and in many parts of the world, caged us in our homes.
With more than 1.2 million cases across the globe and close to 70,000 deaths, the coronavirus has been a deadly shock out of the blue. But, the worst is not over. The virus continues to spread and create havoc at an exponential rate. This is a time for great caution. The Singaporean government, like a number of other visionary governments across the world, has been proactive in its approach to this crisis. Realising the grave nature of the situation, the government has announced circuit breaker measures that will kick in from 07 April 2020 and last till 04 May 2020. Our nation will basically halt all social activity and remain largely isolated for a month. This is something that we have never witnessed before. However, it is the need of the hour. In this event, how can we help the government, the nation and the entire world in combating the crisis? We need to follow the government’s instructions and stick to the well-chartered circuit breaker measures.
Let’s take a look at how we can spend the coming weeks in the most conducive way to fight the pandemic that we are facing while at the same time ensuring that we do not get stressed out and as much as possible, retain our sanity.
What is going to happen during the “Circuit Breaker” period
All schools and institutions of higher learning will be closed. Home-based learning will be introduced and students are to learn (as best as they can) from home. Businesses that can operate with their employees’ telecommuting will be open. Other businesses will have to remain closed. Stores and supermarkets selling essential goods will be permitted to remain open. All non-essential travel should be avoided. These are the prominent guidelines that come along with the Circuit Breaker. If we follow these guidelines without fail, then there is a high chance that we will be able to tide over the coronavirus pandemic with minimum loss to the lives of our precious people. Therefore, many of us will find ourselves spending almost the whole of April inside our homes.
Giving a voice to the masses
Before the advent of social media, the term media meant print media, tv, movies and the internet. But social media was something different. So, what made it stand out? It gave voice to each and every single one of its users. It gave a platform to the common man. Thus local issues and injustices were raised successfully. Those who could never raise their voices against injustice found relief through Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media websites. More people could be organised to contribute to good causes.
But what were the negative fallouts of having many voices? Fake news and false alerts! A lot of opinions and remedies that are being peddled in the online space are inaccurate and misleading. The very fact that ‘fake news’ has become a great threat was highlighted when Collins Dictionary named it the word of the year for 2017. Social media is also being used by certain individuals to spread communal hatred, discriminatory content and defame others. Many celebrities and other individuals have fallen victim to online hate campaigns.
How to spend this period productively
Let’s be positive! Students can spend this period of time in an extremely productive manner. They will be able to save a lot of time which was previously used to prepare and travel to school. The fatigue from school-going days will also be absent. This saved time and mental liberation must be put to proper use.
Parents can sit with their children and draw up a schedule for the next month. This should include time for play, exercise, reading and skill development. Try to mix in things so that children do not get bored or feel dull when doing the activities.
Gaining mastery over the syllabus
Students can utilise this time to brush up their knowledge and relearn topics which they have not learned thoroughly. The services of online tuition and other online learning tools can be put to effective use.. Pick out the best online tuition courses and make sure that your kids complete them. What will be the result of this? By the time we bring the coronavirus pandemic under control and schools resume their normal functioning, you will have complete mastery over all topics (covered and to-be covered) in class.
Keeping yourself in the right frame of mind
One month can be a long period. Both children and adults might get fed-up with the restrictions and this can turn out to be extremely counterproductive. Therefore, we must spend adequate time indulging in activities that help us keep our minds refreshed. These include simple activities like exercising! Parents and kids can follow short workout routines that can be done indoors. Practising meditation for 15-30 minutes as soon as you wake up every morning is a good idea. You can play soothing music during this activity as well. It helps to not only calm the mind and heart, but is also a peaceful way to start the day, before the hustle and bustle of life gets in the way.
Make a booklist and movie list for the month. Read and watch with your family. No! We aren’t talking about just the movies on Netflix, there are other educational programmes that are available, such as Brain Child, or I am Kalam! Never heard of them before? Time to go check these shows out!
Ever wanted to pick up a specific hobby or learn a new language? Well, you can start now with online classes – Keep your mind occupied and try not to let your mind get filled with fatigue or negativity. After all, “An empty mind is a devil’s workshop”.
These are tough times, there’s no denying that. But this is also a time for hope and effort. In this case, the effort that is required from most of us is to remain inside our homes. Each one of us has been called to be a hero. It is time for us to rise to the occasion. As we fulfil our calling with arduous zeal, these tips discussed above would prove helpful to us. Let’s spend our home time improving on our skills and fighting the pandemic. Amidst all this havoc, with our actions, let us light beacons of positivity in our homes! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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