The UK has been in quarantine for a month now, and people are finding it increasingly difficult to stay at home. It is important to remember why we are doing this, and to look at some of the silver linings that have come from the situation, in order to keep our spirits up and keep us going.
Reductions in air pollution
The UK has seen a significant decrease in air pollution over the past few weeks as a result of the reduced use of transport. Alongside this, there has been a decrease in production and demand for many industries that have spent so long polluting the air with their factories. Although it is unlikely that this change will be permanent, it has offered an interesting insight into just how quickly we can see change, and will hopefully lead to reconsideration of what production is allowed to continue and what changes can be implemented so that improvements can be long lasting and effective.
Infection and death rate are slowing
Both the death and infection curve seem to be levelling in the UK, hopefully past the peak. However, if we decide to neglect the quarantine now, this peak will re-emerge quickly, and, if the Spanish Flu is anything to go by, the second peak would be far more deadly. We have already made progress, and it is important to keep this in mind as our motivation to ensure that we can beat the virus, without moving with haste and risking thousands more lives.
Increase in productivity
It is easy to fall into a hole of procrastination when we have no set schedule, but many have been using the freedom of their own time to be productive. This can be achieved through establishing a routine of things you absolutely need to do (such as work), things you should do, but may not always have time for (such as exercising), and things you like to do that you always feel guilty for doing because there is always so much else to get done (like playing a new game, or reading a book, or watching a new series). As, for many of us, there is no need to leave home to go to work, and so in cutting out travel time, and exhaustion and all other wasted, empty space in the day, we have more time to do everything we need to do, on top of everything we want to do.
Money Saving
Yes, there may be an occasional online shop, but overall, not being out and about has enabled us to save money that would normally be spent anywhere and everywhere: a coffee in the morning, a new shirt that you saw in the window of a shop, a bottle of water because you forgot yours. Quarantine has enabled us to find new ways of entertaining ourselves that do not involve carelessly spending money. Some have even begun to replicate their favourite restaurants at home, and though this is not permanent, it has given us all an insight into just how much we must spend that is extremely unecessary.
Unity
Whether it be talking to relatives more, interacting through exercise class livestreams, supporting your neighbours or cheering on the NHS, despite the fact that we have been forced to separate, people have never been so together. The situation has given us a chance to build and strengthen relationships, and perhaps even reconsider which relationships are the most important to us.
Overall, we are in a tough time, but it is true that every cloud has a silver lining, and through focusing on these silver linings, we can motivate ourselves to continue to see out the period of isolation, so we can get back to a world that is changed for the better in some areas.
