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LIFE IN TIMES OF LOCKDOWN: ‘Indulge in creative activities, forgo negativity’
Athletic coach Sukhdev Singh Pannu says one must stay physically and mentally fit in these trying times
Dronacharya awardee Sukhdev Singh Pannu says with worrisome news regarding the coronavirus pouring in from all quarters people were giving in to negativity and developing phobias.
The 65-year-old city-based athletic coach says the best way to stop fixating on the pandemic is to keep oneself occupied.
Ask him his schedule during the lockdown and Pannu says he starts the day at 6.30am and devotes one-and-half hour practicing yoga, jogging and strengthening his core. Later, he takes up housework such as cooking and cleaning. He also takes out time to enhance his knowledge about sports through the internet. He spends his evening guiding his students telephonically.
“My wife was in Canada with our younger son when the lockdown was imposed. I am at home with my 86-old-year mother and elder son. My mother is teaching me to cook these days,” he says with a laugh.
He adds that keeping active was helping him stay physically and mentally fit.
“However, I have observed that many residents are killing time watching TV or browsing the social media. They are not involved in any physical activity, which is leading to negative thoughts and has an adverse impact on the health,” he says.
Pannu says that to avoid boredom and to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, people should keep themselves busy with creative activities.
He says in order to tackle this unprecedented situation, we must keep ourselves mentally and physically fit. He suggests that one should spend 15-20 minutes exercising or doing yoga. “People should also walk or jog on the terrace or veranda.
“One should make the best of the situation and learn something new. Today, we can find everything on the internet. So, one can chose to learn gardening, dancing, cooking or some other skill, rather than just sitting or lying in one place,” Pannu says, signing off.
