My Take | Get closer to yourself via social distancing
- Staying at home during the coronavirus crisis provides an opportunity to readjust to a quieter zone of stimulation that can be more conducive to self-reflection, creativity and balance
One of my favourite online memes has been: “Introverts unite separately in your own homes!”
I couldn’t think of a better motto in the time of the coronavirus. It’s not too difficult to be a good citizen these days. Barring essential work requirements, all you have to do to be a responsible person is to stay home while cutting outings to a minimum. You are thereby saving yourself and others from potential viral spread.
Sadly, before the new tough measures were introduced on social distancing, people were queuing to enter country parks, visiting outlying islands en masse, and rushing to cinemas. People were videoed climbing into a public playground to play football, even though all the entrances had been bolted.
It was precisely because many people were not practising social distancing that the new rules had to be imposed. Admittedly, the adequacy of the rules has rightly been disputed but, I hope, not their necessity. For example, why allow restaurants to serve diners? In Ontario, Canada, all the restaurants and bars are only allowed to serve takeaways for two weeks.
Admittedly, if you are an extrovert or a highly social person, social distancing is going against your personality type. But, according to many studies, between a third to a half of people are introverts or at least tend towards introversion.