How to Use Up Our Finite Time
10 tips on staying sane during a quarantine
As most of the 1.3 billion Chinese who have dutifully stayed at home for the past few weeks, I am playing my part in keeping China (and the world) safe by minimizing physical contact with the outside world. In fact, the past month may have been the highest concentration of time I spend indoor, ever since I began to walk.
Like many millennials where FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is an overriding presence of life, I always try to be on the move. Our time on earth is finite, hence to me, seeking experiences outside has always seemed like a wiser decision compared to cocooning at home. Do not be mistaken though, FOMO is not merely a reason for instant self-gratification, in fact, it has been a real force in keeping this generation to be risk-takers who continue learning beyond formal education.
In the need-for-speed society such as urban China, there are always things to do, people to meet and places to be. Alas, this immediately ceased when most of China decided to stay home. The fact that most of us are yet to have mental breakdown proves that we are an agile and resilient species after all.
Friends and families who know of the abundance of my energy, have been a little worried about my sanity during this extended period of remaining indoors, but somehow the days are passing by swiftly.
It could be due to my new sleep cycle (that I am trying to break) of working until bedtime at 4 am and waking up at noon when half the day is already over. I am grateful that my mother, who thinks 8 am is far too late for any respected member of society to wake up, is not here to judge.
We are all finding ways to keep ourselves entertained as we continue this period of self-containment. So, here are 10 things I have been doing to stay sane:
1. Catching up on movies
Movies usually give me a tinge of guilt since I’d rather use the time spent on them on more productive activities. However, this newly found window of time has allowed me to sit down (or lie down) and finally watch those binge-worthy shows I have been avoiding.
I finally started (and finished) the 70 episode Yanxi Palace — no one does long series like China. The series’ costumes and sets are pure visual porn — some of the headpieces were exact replicas of the artefacts in the National Museum. I can’t say the same historical correctness about the details in the storyline but fact-checking the series against the recorded history was an exciting way to learn about Qianlong’s reign and the Qing Dynasty.
On top of entertainment, TV has provided a means of learning. Inside Bill’s Brain has demonstrated not only the Gates Foundation’s amazing efforts in eradicating global diseases but also the moral responsibilities that come with wealth.
Chinese movies such as Dying to Survive 我不是药神 and Better Days 少年的你 have shown that art can bring some social issues into the light, igniting policymakers to create policies and/or change laws to protect the people. Besides, pausing every scene to read the subtitle is doing wonders to my Mandarin vocabularies.
2. Reading and writing
Truthfully, this experience has been a pleasant change. It has granted me time to return to the pleasure of books after a year of academic journals for my master thesis, as well as a swarm of news which are often downright depressing.
As for writing, it is not only keeping my mind busy but has also become a great tool for compiling thoughts and reflection as well as therapy, which one barely has time to do when one is always on the move.
3. Singing and dance parties
Both are fantastic ways to boost energy levels and remain positive. It has also been a great way to get to know my housemate, who often prefers to remain in her room.
She is surprised that I know most Jay Chou 周杰伦’s songs by heart (especially since I’m barely comprehensible in our day-to-day conversation in Mandarin). She also introduces me to more tracks by Pu Shu — about time I know other songs of his apart from 平凡之路. With QQ Music, I can even practice Mandarin reading as the app automatically scrolls through the lyrics.
4. Embracing the Internet and social media
A large part of what keeps me sane is staying in touch with friends and families. Friends from Europe are only too happy to finally be able to catch up as my erratic sleeping habit now closely resembles their time-zones.
We as a society now officially live online as much as offline. Without the Internet and social media, it would have been impossible keep up with the development of the coronavirus — a necessity for personal safety and professional reasons, nor would I be able to share this experience with the outside world. I would not be able to read the news, purchase online books, watch movies, post photos and live vicariously through other people’s social media stories, share my knowledge and experiences about living so close to the virus (which is more relevant now as the virus has spread more rapidly outside of China), nor would I be able to receive the kind messages from friends checking in on me.
5. Cleaning and disinfecting
Needless to say, this apartment has never been so spotless.
6. Cooking and Eating
My number one pastime has now changed from eating to cooking. I realize how spoilt I had been by the office canteen as well as the convenience food delivery, and how fortunate I was to have someone cook for me for most of my life.
After seeking guidance from families and friends for their tried-and-tested recipes, I have now gained life-changing skills in Chinese cooking. Even my housemate who declared my initial failed attempt, now finish my dry-fried string beans 干煸四季豆 and poached chicken 白切鸡 without complaint.
She started by sneaking in a little mumble “行” (lit: approved) or a thumb up, but my cooking has improved so much she asks for seconds. Had I stuck with Western recipes requiring ingredients that are hardly found in Beijing, I would never discover how healthy and versatile Chinese radish 白萝卜 is.
Now that I am convinced that ‘grocery-run’ is a form of exercise itself, this housemate of mine has told me to stop stocking up the fridge since it is at maximum capacity. To this, I replied, “We either need a bigger fridge or I’m going to get a new housemate”.
7. Actually Studying Mandarin
With fellow students and colleagues who basically speak fluent English, it can be hard to find the opportunity to practice my Mandarin (despite living in China, can you imagine?). As most attractions remain closed, I now have minimum distraction. Now I don’t have to choose between exploring Beijing or studying the language.
Since schools are still closed, edu-tech is having a day in the sun and I am one of the millions giving it a go. I have a signed up for a twice-weekly online class which not only allows me to finally improve my 书面语 (the more formal written language of Mandarin) but also provides some sort of regimen to my unregulated daily schedule.
8. Exercising
With the amount of food I prepare and consume, exercise is becoming increasingly important. What a fatal mistake it was to put it off at the initial stage of self-containment. This caused me to remain physically energetic even as my mind tires at dawn, which explains why I struggle to fall asleep even as the sun rises. So if you are starting to self quarantine, keep up the exercise and some resemblance of routine, to stay human.
In my case, in the days when the air quality hits AQI 26, which is the equivalent to the air quality in Norway, I put on my face masks and runners, before heading to the nearest square where aunties 大妈 practice their dance routines, children glide around in rollerblades with their hockey sticks and older men bring out their pet birds to show off to their friends.
Since the only things open in Beijing during this self-quarantine period are supermarkets and parks (we are a little more fortunate than Shanghai where parks were also closed), it is also a great time to hit the lesser-known parks around the city, especially with this unprecedented air quality. I must say, I am enjoying those elderly park gyms, a little too much. A grandpa even complimented me on my push-ups the other day.
As the weather is warming up, this exploration proves to be too much of a temptation for Beijingers. Some weekend ago, I decided to explore a park in the outskirt of Beijing as the sun shone on a clear untainted blue sky in a 13-degree afternoon. As I arrived, the car snaked around from the end of the highway all the way to its entrance. Fortunately, there was crowd control limiting the number of people at the park. I guess this is the new normal, never had I seen crowd control in this country before.
9. Staying positive
Above all, maintaining a positive attitude is key to surviving a lockdown. All of the activities above are ways to keep our spirits lifted and improve our immunities. Even inside Wuhan, the residents who are obliged to remain indoors have uploaded amusing posts about their creative ways of passing time indoors, using humour to entertain not only themselves but also others. The strength in human collective spirit is also demonstrated in the chants of jiayou and the singing of national anthem from the balconies of Wuhan residents. Same goes for the resilience of the Italians’ with their daily balcony concert.
It helps to think about the positives that have come out of this lockdown, such as spending quality personal time, getting to know the person I share a roof with, gaining new skills and being more in touch with families and friends in the distance. In addition, I have also picked up habits that had fallen off my priorities.
This virus quarantine will end, so enjoy the family time that usually feels like a luxury. You may never have this opportunity again.
10. Giving Back
I realise that I am one of the fortunate ones, to be quarantined in my own home while some people are stuck in hotel rooms, airports, or worse, in hospitals. Furthermore, my embassy was proactive and distributed masks (when all the shops had run out) to registered citizens remaining in China. In return, starting an initiative to help distribute these masks to fellow Indonesians who are unable to retrieve them, due to either university quarantine or simply living too far away from the embassy, makes me feel like I’m not so helpless or useless during this epidemic.
The volunteers who have helped deliver supplies and pick up medical staffs during the lockdown have shown the world that every single little act of humanity matters. They should be celebrated for inspiring others to help lighten the burden held by the frontline medics. This crisis has helped all of us to slow down and reflect, since our time on the earth is finite, we cannot afford not to spend it wisely.
So, how are you keeping yourself sane in this quarantine?
This post is part of the series which details my experience as a coronavirus bystander with 2-month 'head start' in China.1. Beijing Coronavirus Diary: Part 1
The Abrupt and Gradual Changes2. Beijing Coronavirus Diary: Part 2
The New Normal3. Humanity vs Coronavirus
Is this really the face of humanity?I hope these stories will show you how parallel our lives can be despite the divide in space and time.
