It’s time for a lockdown Q&A

England officially went into lockdown on the 23rd March 2020. Whilst the public had contrasting opinions on the effectiveness of lockdown, one thing was certain: our normal routines and plans for this year were going to be significantly impacted. For instance, I am sure that many of you can relate to the fact that trips abroad had to be postponed, year 11’s and 13’s could not sit their GCSE or A-Level exams and events such as prom were cancelled.

Fast forward three months and a few days, we are now in July. Slowly but surely, non-essential shops and outdoor places are opening up to the public once again. So, although many of our lives have been affected in some sort of way, it seems as though we may be able to get back to ‘normal’ in the near future.

Seeing the gradual easing of restrictions allowed me to reflect upon the personal development I achieved during the lockdown period. Of course, I was not expecting to discover that I had become the perfect version of myself but, I was keen to know how much I had grown as an individual. To help me figure that out, I asked myself a few questions. It sounds silly but, asking myself questions helped me to realise how much the ‘person I am today’ differs from the ‘person I was’ three months ago. It was really useful because even though I was reflecting on the past, I was also able to gain a better focus for my future.

Since this worked quite well for me, I thought it would be a good idea to share these questions with you. Hopefully, they will be of good use to you – if you do find it helpful don’t be shy to leave a comment!

Reflection Questions

Think back to the first day of lockdown:

• How were you feeling? Scared? Nervous? Positive?
• How do you feel now?
• Do you feel different, if so why?

Think about the goals that you set yourself in the early stages of lockdown:

• Were you able to achieve some/all of them?
• If you were, how did you do it?
• If not, what went wrong and how will you improve next time?
• Over the last 3 months, how would you say you have changed as an individual? Are you more productive? Have you been able to dedicate more time to take care of yourself?
• Have you learned anything new about yourself?
• Did you find a new hobby?
• Think of at least one thing you did during lockdown that you are very proud of. Relive that moment and explain how you felt
• What was one of the most challenging things you did during the lockdown and, what did you learn from this?
• Have you done anything differently during this period and are you planning to maintain this even after lockdown? e.g. using this time to do more exercise, to read, to spend more time with your family
•  Lastly, if you could go through lockdown again, what would you do differently?

It may seem weird to ask yourself questions but it is incredibly important to do so. Life often comes at us quickly and each day we are occupied with various tasks which prevent us from taking time out to reflect. When we don’t track our progress as individuals, it can make it more difficult to achieve our goals and have a clear understanding of what to do next. 

By asking yourself questions you will discover so much more about yourself, acknowledge how much you have grown in a short space of time and, you will be able to think more clearly about the future.

P.s – If it still feels awkward to ask yourself these questions, you can always get your friend or family member to ask them for you!!

Written by Syah