Quaranthings: Solace in solitude
Managing productivity in the midst of trying times
Mr. Ullman from The Shining (1980) said that, “For some people, solitude and isolation can of itself, become a problem.” While Jack Nicholson may have gone a tad bit crazy a month into isolation, Rapunzel from Tangled (2010), on the other hand, contained herself pretty well in the tower for 18 years. Scott Lang, too, had an interesting way of keeping himself occupied while on house arrest in Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018). He did karaoke, learned magic tricks, read a book and it was all easy peasy, as he said. Anna didn’t particularly enjoy being on lockdown, but she definitely learned to keep herself entertained by riding a bike around the halls and talking to pictures on the walls — weird, but not as weird as Chuck Noland in Cast Away (2000) who befriended a blood-stained volleyball. I guess that’s what isolation does to people, anyway. They end up doing questionable things for the sake of their sanity, like how Jim Preston, from Passengers (2016) woke up Aurora Lane from her century-long slumber because he was feeling lonely.
To describe a lockdown caused by a pandemic is devastating and horrifying at the same time. However, it is still possible to find a silver lining out of this terrible situation. Just take Shakespeare, for example, and how he apparently wrote King Lear while on quarantine during the height of the Bubonic Plague. Peeta Mellark spent a lot of time baking and painting back in District 12; Amy Dunne devoted a lot of her time plotting the downfall of her husband, and; Cinderella did a lot of chores and made friends with mice. These are just some film characters who proved that you can still be productive, even when you’re stuck at home.
Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! (2017) is an introvert’s complete nightmare. Mother and his husband, The Poet, lived a peaceful life in isolation until the latter started welcoming more and more people seeking refuge. While it may be a noble thing to do, these supposed visitors started touching their belongings, entering rooms without permission and trashing the place entirely. The agitation Mother felt throughout the film is beyond relatable to me. So, while extroverts I know are already banging their heads against the wall due to boredom, I think I’ve found solace in isolation — like Mother. Unlike her, though, I don’t spend so much of my time on household chores. I think I’m more of an Elio from Call Me By Your Name (2017) during his summer break, minus the love affair, of course. Anyway, being an introvert asked to stay at home feels like being paid to do something I am already doing. As for extroverts, though, being stuck indoors for weeks must feel like a lifetime. I would imagine Harper and her friends from Ibiza (2018) as the type to go to Starbucks while their entire country is under a state of calamity. Aron Ralston from 127 Hours (2010), on the other hand, is a borderline extrovert who would likely break quarantine rules to go on a vacation or something, then later catch the virus himself. My extrovert friends constantly helped me get through overcrowded parties and events where I had to excessively socialize. So I guess it’s just fair to help them, including other extroverts, to cope with the indoor lifestyle while on lockdown.
Be productive for others
There’s so much to do at home during a lockdown in the height of Coronavirus, and helping those in need is the most productive one. When the world was ending in the Roland Emmerich’s 2012 (2009), not everyone was fortunate enough to get on the ship that braved the extreme flooding. Once the ship was closed, the deaths of the people who didn’t get it in was already sealed. If you find yourself under a roof and with enough food, then you are within a very fortunate position in life. You are on the ship and it is up to you if you want to toss out some lifeboats to keep others afloat.
Wherever you are and whatever you do, please don’t ever be so ignorant, like the Park family in Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (2019). I suppose they are among the 1%, considering how out of touch they are of reality. Learn to be empathetic; like Leigh-Anne Tuohy from The Blind Side (2009) who fed and sheltered the homeless juvenile, Big Mike. It wasn’t until I saw Pamilya Ordinaryo (2016) by Eduardo Roy Jr. that I had an idea of how the poorest of the poor go about their lives. The independent film tells the story of a homeless teen couple who did what they could to survive in the streets. They kept themselves fed by stealing, begging and scrapping from garbage. The disadvantaged position they held in life made others feel like they are not worthy of respect or attention. As you sit comfortably at home, don’t forget that there are families on the other side who live within a nightmare — so lend a hand, if you can. Trevor McKinney from Pay It Forward (2000) was only 12 when he created a strong influence on humanity. He believed that if people passed on kindness, even the smallest acts can become agents that will change the world. True enough, the movement he initiated touched countless lives as it traveled like dominos tipping over one another. The life of Mike Oher from The Blind Side (2009) is an example of the profound effects of kindness. He started as a homeless boy who was failing high school. However, the love and generosity given by the Tuohys allowed him to achieve more in life. So, be a Tuohy in a world full of Parks.
I have a friend who prepares homemade meals for front liners — from doctors and nurses in hospitals to authorities manning checkpoints in the streets. Some people learned how to sew their PPEs at home to donate to hospitals. Others opted out of their share from goods distributed by LGUs, so it can be saved for those who need them more. Also, it also doesn’t take much to share donation drives initiated by individuals and organizations. Spreading the word is just as important as any form of help. The unity among people in trying times like this is beautiful. Edward Morgan from Curly Top (1935) said that “There’s no human problem that can’t be solved by kindness.” The Prince Charming would agree as he assured Cinderella (2015) to “Be kind and all will be well.”
They didn’t mention testing kits and PPEs, though, but those are really important too.
Be productive for yourself
You may be locked in but that doesn’t make you a prisoner. Use the time you now have by doing something for yourself, especially those you’ve been putting off for months. You can work out, read books, learn a new recipe, or even study.
Julie Powell from Julie and Julia (2009) did not have the luxury of time in her hands. She was always worked up and stressed out trying to balance her day job, her married life and the blog she’s been trying to put up. As the number of her online readers increased, the hobby she once enjoyed turned into a chore that gave her added pressure. Sometimes, trying so hard to juggle responsibilities with interests can make our days exhausting and even unbearable. My interests include films, European history and the cosmos; but since I am still school, I have to weigh my priorities and put my academics on top. The lockdown has allowed me to spend some time on my interests, and it has been fulfilling. As this lockdown brings you with extra time for yourself, learn to use it well. If anything, don’t spend your days like the prisoners in The Platform (2019). All they ever did was wake up, walk around circles and eat. Mar from Robert Zemeckis’ Welcome To Marwen (2018) experienced PTSD after he was violently beaten up by drunks outside a pub. After so, he only felt most comfortable inside his house; taking pictures of dolls and building a story for them. Creating art put him at ease. During stressful times like this, spend your time by doing things that bring you comfort and joy — may it be a hobby or an interest.
Saoirse Ronan’s character in Hanna (2011) learned how to assassinate and speak several languages while in isolation. Well, it’s good to know that there’s someone out there who doesn’t ignore her Duolingo notifications. Chuck Noland in Cast Away (2000), while he may have gone a bit insane, learned how to fish and build a raft while stuck in a deserted island. The girls from Zeta Alpha Zeta in House Bunny (2008) kept themselves productive by learning proper social etiquette and how to dress up. Before she got into Harvard Law, Elle Woods from Legally Blonde (2001) devoted a lot of her time to reading and memorizing. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games (2012), hunted on her free time, a skill she was able to use to her advantage after she volunteered as tribute. In short, you can be productive at home by doing things that will help you hone your skills or increase your self-esteem. Well, what better way to start than by not ignoring that Duolingo notification? I have been spending my time reading books, writing essays and watching films. It feels so good because I don’t think I have ever, in a long time, excessively done these things. Since there is nowhere to go, it has also gotten easier to workout consistently because all the conserved energy I have right now want nothing else but to be used. I’m honestly a few days away from giving myself a haircut, so I can at least witness a bit of change for myself. We treat ourselves from time to time as a form of self-love; from buying a new clothing piece to taking an extra nap. If being stuck in a limited space makes you feel lazy, just remember to treat yourself every now and then. For example, when you read, you’re improving your vocabulary and increasing your knowledge of the world; when you take the time to exercise in the morning, you’re making yourself healthier and stronger, and; when you push yourself to learn a new skill, you essentially become a more interesting and well-rounded person. So, treat yourself.
Have you ever told yourself that you’ll clean your room tomorrow, but never actually got around it? I know I have. While getting on things you enjoy doing, you also finally have the time to do those you’ve been putting off for a while now. Oliver from Call Me By Your Name (2017) spent more time fiddling an underage boy instead of doing his thesis, don’t be like him. So, if your semester isn’t canceled yet like mine, spend some time on it because you don’t have any other choice. Other than cleaning my room, another thing I’ve been putting off for a while is backing up my files. It may seem like an unimportant thing until your device gets corrupted. Chuck Noland from Cast Away (2000) put off his dentist appointment because of his hectic schedule. Regrets come last, indeed, as he got stuck in a deserted island with a bad toothache.
So, essentially, there are three ways you can be productive for yourself during this lockdown. You can spend time on your hobbies and interests; learn a new skill, or; do something you’ve been putting off for a while.
Be productive by being unproductive
There is no shame in being unproductive amid a global pandemic. During the first couple of weeks of the lockdown, I remember how I couldn’t stop checking the news and even broke down at some point. I was in complete disbelief of what was happening around me and it’s stressful. As a result, it became really hard for me to focus on my homework and my online classes. I would either just eat, sleep or check the news as I felt I wasn’t in the proper mood for anything at all.
Lisa from Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) slept all day. She didn’t want to be woken up unless it’s for something really important. As unfruitful as it may sound, it’s essential to take time off when you need to. Educational institutions may assume it’s easier for students to study at home as they have all the time in their hands, but they fail to consider the lack of social cues and the current environmental situation of the students. On top of the numerous issues brought up in The Breakfast Club (1985), the film also emphasized how students, despite attending the same school, can have very different lifestyles and personal situations. Honestly, I attend to my homework like baby steps. After all, the best way to be lazy and unproductive is right now — not the night before a quiz, or when you have an appointment to catch; it’s right now. Maybe think of “doing nothing” as a treat to yourself, after months of being productive and working hard. You can binge on the TV series you’ve been behind for so long or catch up on the sleep you’ve been deprived of for months.
At the same time, you can also lie down in bed or look out the window and reflect. It’s a perfectly productive unproductive thing to do for yourself. Look at the mirror and recognize everything you see, from the good to the bad, without filter and breaks. By doing this, you build self-awareness by acknowledging your strengths, weaknesses and driving factors. Pat Solitano from Silver Linings Playbook (2012) had to regularly attend therapy to closely monitor his progress outside the Baltimore psych ward. In between his outbursts, Dr. Patel allowed him to reflect on his actions by recognizing triggers and learning how to control his reactions on external factors. In the scene where he holds himself back from getting into a fight, it is evident that he has gained self-awareness because he was able to recognize the situation as a trigger he is controlling himself from. Going back, self-reflection is just as important as self-improvement — in fact, it is an essential part of it.
Another productive unproductive thing I learned is self-meditation. I became aware of this when I started doing yoga and it helps to calm yourself. If you’ve seen High School Musical 2 (2007), then you know how calm and reserved Mrs. Evans and Ryan are. You know why? It’s because they meditate, unlike Sharpay who is always stressed out and yelling about everything. To practice Zen Meditation, all you have to do is sit comfortably on the floor or chair and close your eyes. Breathe through your nose, free your mind of thoughts and focus on the sensation of your diaphragm expanding and emptying. Zen is a slang term for the feeling of relaxation and peacefulness, which is how you should feel in the process. Being allowed to move around a limited space can get stressful, which makes meditating an essential thing to do. Zen meditation also helps prevent anxiety by encouraging tranquility. I’m not sure if it was ever mentioned in the film but the Ancient One from Doctor Strange (2016) is likely a Buddhist who practices Zen Meditation. She’s 500 years old and even when the world was in doom in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Endgame (2019), she still seemed to have her zen intact.
On the surface, being unproductive may seem unfruitful, but if you look at it longer, you’ll then notice how productive it is by being essential for our sanity and peace of mind. With that, don’t feel bad for doing nothing at all; it’s perfectly natural and normal. I bet most of us don’t even have a properly functioning body clock anymore.
It’s not impossible to live through weeks or even months of being stuck indoors. There may be limited options as to what you can do and who you can see, but you can remain to be equally productive as you were before the lockdown — help others or help yourself. The Gladers in The Maze Runner (2014) are all in lockdown for as long as they can remember. As bad as I feel for them, being locked in made them stronger and helped them adapt in extreme situations. Hopefully, this lockdown also serves as a situation we can learn from. As Newt reminded Thomas, only the runners are allowed to leave the Glade as the maze is a dangerous place, especially because techno-organic creatures (also known as the Grievers) roam around them. Similarly, don’t leave your household if you don’t have any business outside because you put yourself and others in danger by catching the virus. Most of all, keep yourself clean and your surroundings sanitized like how Adam Jones from Burnt (2015) likes to keep his dishes perfect.
We currently stand in a perfectly flawed situation. Hopefully, though, we learn to find solace in isolation — not by being ignorant, but by doing our part; not by romanticizing the situation, but by looking at the silver lining, and; not by accepting defeat, but by being hopeful of better days. Like all the film characters who were once locked in, we will eventually find our way on the opposite side. Rapunzel was able to leave the lonely tower, Anna lived to see the gates open and Scott Lang was freed from house arrest. Cinderella was able to escape her miserable situation by being kind and having courage, and maybe we can live by the same motto as we take this pandemic day by day.
