In recent meetings #WorkingFromHome, there was a striking observation about how some colleagues responded to do some urgent work at night and over weekends.
The common response I hear is “Sure! MCO Lockdown: There's nothing to do anyway", “bukan boleh buat apa pun PKP”.
On one hand, it's great to hear colleagues having the team-player ownership to be readily cooperative without hesitation.
But on the other hand, the side remark - "nothing to do anyway" – could also perhaps signify a worrying trend in declining mental health: emptiness in our lives.
Are people beginning to be devoid of personal goals, passionate hobbies and meaningful relationships, and have nothing in life. As a result, over-compensating with their jobs?
Has work become a form of escapism to distract them from the emptiness of their lives, in the same way that some binge watch Netflix to drown them away from the sorrows of COVID-19 or to numb away the pain of meaninglessness?
How much further has this impacted our anxiety, knowing how fragile our jobs are in these times of economic turbulence?
Another worrying sign is that people aren't taking leave, on the grounds that "there is nowhere to go".
You don’t HAVE to “go somewhere” to have a great time. Why are we so over-dependent on external factors to make us happy?
How about taking leave to find joy through the little things in life: spend time with our loved ones, to finally read that book, to challenge our limits with that satisfying home workout, or to catch up with the ones we care about - even if it is only virtually. Why not, just a simple day off in the remembrance of Allah - to recite some Qur'an, to do more dzikir, to seek a bit of knowledge?
We need to allow our work to be a means of something greater, for us to get in touch with our humanity: To put in the active effort discover purpose & passion in our lives. Learn a new skill. Get involved in activity groups. Pick up a new hobby. Do something awesome. Inspire & help others. Set ambitious goals to leave a mark – a legacy – on humanity.
Let's work to live, not the other way around.
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