The ongoing lockdown has forced many of us to alter the way we go about our daily routine. Chennaites share tales of the changes they have made to adapt to the new ‘normal’ of living and working with limited interaction
Kewin Fernando (22), Sales executive
Chennai:
I had just joined in a new job in February. Before that, for about eight months, I didn’t have much to do. The job was a big breakthrough for me. But now, with the shutdown, it’s thrown a spanner in the works. Right now, we can’t do sales. It’s a bad time to speak to people. When I call clients, I realise that they have so many problems. I’m trying to do any job they give me because we can’t sell to people at this time. It doesn’t feel right selling products now. Sitting at home, I don’t feel like I’m getting the most out of my job. I wanted to talk to people across strata and understand their situations. The first months were fine. Now, I go to sleep thinking that there’s a disease without cure. Some of my family members have got it. When a family member gets it, you feel more fear. I want things to get back to what they were. I stopped playing video games after college. Now I’ve taken it up again to let my stress out. It feels nice to spend time without worrying about the disease. Work has also been comforting because it’s something to do with my time. The videos we put out are global and contain a lot of knowledge. By the time I’m done, I feel a lot better about the situation. The lockdown feels neverending.
I’ve tried taking up new hobbies, but how much can you do. I used to make music, draw, do crafts and DIY, but all that gets boring fast. I’ve been connecting with my friends. Before I go to sleep, I remember that I hadn’t responded to someone, and I wonder if that person is safe. I even called some people that I had rough patches with. While it’s been too long to fix the situation, it’s a way to reach out and try to have a mature conversation. No better time than now to do that.