What was previously just another onomatopoeic “ding dong” is now going to be one of the most used words of 2020. The word zoom, will forever take on a meaning of endless work meetings and the location for all social interaction for the large part of the last three months. We’ve celebrated birthday’s on zoom, praised achievements, had hard discussions and now honestly, I’m zoomed out.
Ironically, the word “zoom” usually indicates that you are moving quickly, flying through life, but my god are we trudging right now. Since moving to London time has flown, I’ve posted once since September! Days and nights instead filled with commuting, drinks in the pub, exploring new areas and for the large part, flopping exhaustedly on my bed after a day in the office. But now, we shut our laptops after a day of working from home, only to open them an hour later to join our friends and family for another edition of the weekly lockdown quiz.
But there is no shame in wanting to turn off the laptop, put it in a cupboard and never turn it back on. That would be admittedly a little dramatic, but honestly, I feel you. We are not programmed to live our lives through a screen, social interaction is a fundamental part of our nature and sometimes we all just need a physical hug.
I’ve found that since I’m spending the entirety of my social time on a laptop, whether that be for work or for catching up with friends, I’m sure as hell not wanting to spend my “me time” on it too. Whereas I once could have spent hours reading blogs, watching youtube videos and *ahem* playing the sims, now I find myself craving activities that don’t require staring at a screen. I’ve found I actually love colouring – turn’s out my creativity was playing with the colours in a picture someone else has drawn for me rather than drawing them myself, something my art teacher was more than definitely aware of at school…
I also have finished my first leisure book in a long time. Sophie Kinsella speaks to me on another level and I resonated hard with Samantha from The Undomestic Goddess. I’ve been delving into Caroline Hiron’s Skincare and have been learning to tell my AHA’s from my BHA’s in an attempt to justify a whole new skincare routine that’s Caroline approved.
So if you’re feeling a little ‘zoomed out’ then do yourself a good deed and step away from the screen. Social media is included in this – if you are digitally fatigued then the last thing you need is to see how others are living it up in lockdown!
Pick up a book. Go for a socially distanced walk. Paint your nails. Draw a picture. Fake tan. Try on every item of clothing in your wardrobe. Take a bath. Ultimately, make some time for yourself offline.
Yes, this is temporary, but whilst this is the way things are, make sure you adjust the other aspects of your life to account for this change. Will I ever pick colouring in a picture over meeting my friends for cocktails and brunch in the future? No, probably not. But for now it’s ok to say no to a zoom call and do an offline activity that’s just for you.
Brb, off to sharpen my pencils.
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