Staying calm and positive during circuit breaker

There was only a year left to 67-year-old Mdm Lydia’s (not her real name) planned retirement when the outbreak of COVID-19 occurred in Singapore. When it swung into full circuit breaker mode in April, Mdm Lydia had to temporarily stop working and stay home.
 
With the sudden change to Mdm Lydia’s routine, Mdm Lydia’s daughter was concerned that her mother might not be able to adjust well to it. After doing some research online, she came to know of National Silver Academy (NSA) course subsidies available for seniors aged 50 and above, and helped her mother to sign up for the NSA online course “Chinese Mindfulness Foundation Course” by Brahm Centre.
 
Understanding how to better manage emotions
 
Mdm Lydia had to learn to use Zoom, a teleconferencing tool to attend this course. Despite the fact that it was not a physical course, the online version brought her a positive learning experience.
 
“It was very convenient. Not only I didn’t have to spend my time on travelling, I also got my questions answered by the trainer, which was just as easy as attending a physical course!” said Mdm Lydia.
 
As Mdm Lydia is hoping to adopt a slower pace of life as she gradually reaches retirement, she believes this course has benefitted her in such a way that she is now able to stay calmer and better manage her emotions.
 
Using technology to connect with family & friends
 
After taking up the online mindfulness course, Mdm Lydia wanted to learn more on how to use Zoom and went on to attend an online event organised by the library. Now, she is more confident to use different functions available in Zoom.
 
Other than picking up new tips and knowledge during this period, Mdm Lydia shared that she also spent her time reading and watching shows via the Internet. She finds it important to remain socially connected with her family and friends, and has been using WhatsApp to keep in touch and catch up with them. In fact, she found herself contacting her ex-colleagues and friends more frequently during the circuit breaker period compared to the past, as everyone was staying home.
 
“I had to adjust to this new routine much earlier than expected. However, I am treating it as a ‘rehearsal’ before I retire. This (circuit breaker) period gave me an opportunity to see how I can cope and stay active at home and I am happy to say that I don’t find it hard to adjust to this new routine. I was able to find different interesting activities to occupy my time,” Mdm Lydia concluded.
 
**Special thanks to Mdm Lydia (not her real name) who accepted our interview, we wish her all the very best in her lifelong learning journey.
 
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