When the first case of COVID-19 hit the news, none of us would have imagined that we would be fighting our worst nightmare even after a year. The novel coronavirus not only brought the fear of disease with itself, but it also brought the fear of isolation, the pain of losing your loved ones, and the trauma of losing your source of income to name a few.
Most of the working sectors were hit, leaving people in chaos and panic. More than 114 million jobs were lost because of the pandemic resulting in economic recession and a 41% increase in the cases of mental health issues.
But even amongst this massive disarray, some industries eventually emerged even stronger than ever, Design and IT; being a very strong examples of this.
In this article, we will look into how the design industry took charge of the situation and presented some revolutionary ideas for a better world along with some simple tips on how we can keep our mental health in check during these trying times.
Impact of Job Losses on Mental Health
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light”
It did not take long for the COVID-19 outbreak to turn from an unprecedented health crisis to a global economic crisis taking a toll on the living standards of millions of people. The toll was not just limited to the living standards but ultimately affected the mental and emotional well-being of people who were impacted directly or indirectly by the job cuts.
How Was The Design Industry affected?
Just like other industries, the design industry also faced the wrath of the pandemic. Despite that, Design was also one of the industries whose demand grew during the later phases of the pandemic when most of the businesses shifted online.
A brand’s digital presence became important more than ever. Their presence on the websites, social media, and across apps became crucial to both the brand as well as the consumer. This is where the designers stepped in and took charge. From optimizing designs to understanding user pain points, we did it all; like always.
“There’s no greater opportunity to be creative than in a crisis”.
Another noting point here was the impact of online collaborative tools that helped designers and professionals bring their ideas and innovations together even while working remotely. Some of the noteworthy tools are — Figma, Notion, Miro, Slack, and Microsoft Teams to name a few.
Design and Innovations — Overcoming the Challenges!
Development of UV Cleaning Products
Apart from just helping brands in their digital ventures designers also took it upon themselves to unite with scientists in developing UV cleaning products for the future. The ongoing scare has upended our way of looking at the surfaces that make up the world around us. This allowed product designers from across the globe to connect and collaborate in using UV light as a source surface cleaner as well as a source of hope and light in these darker times.
COVID Safe Vertical Theaters
Sources of entertainment like going out for live performances, movies, amusement parks, or just a casual hang out with friends have now become a luxury. But once again our folks came together to work on the idea of Vertical Theatres — a freestanding tourable structure, that will help audiences enjoy performances whilst maintaining social distancing. What’s even better here is that these structures are not only COVID protected but environment friendly as well!!
Creative Resources for Lockdown
Our industry added another feather in their cap when they came up with some very creative ideas for kids and folks across the world locked up inside their homes. With resources like “Make at-home activities and Videos” they indeed are winning our hearts.
Changes Weren’t Easy for us Either
Even though designers and the whole industry have been doing their best in helping the world in ways they can but we also had our fair shares of fear, confusion, and concerns. Waking up one day and realizing that your bedroom/living room/kitchen has become your office is not easy to adjust to.
“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” ―Harriet Beecher Stowe
But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining — A lot of got a boon of spending time with our family, connecting with and reminiscing the good old days.
Also, freelancing in the graphic design industry gradually rose to newer heights. Many freelancers saw new success and got an opportunity to polish their skills and use them for the greater good of all.
Taking Care of Your Mental Well Being
Conversations around the mind have become more important now than ever. All of us are scared but we all are in this together. Here are some tips for you to keep your mental health in check during the scarier times:
- Go Easy on Yourself: we are going through a time of severe anxiety and panic, the world around us is collapsing but remember YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Maintain a routine as best as you can and try to stick to it.
- Focus on Things You Can Control: times are unpredictable and not everything is in our control but as long as we are doing our bit we can bring the change. Focus on smaller things that affect you directly like, maintaining hygiene, staying at home as much as possible, and maintaining the norms laid down by authorities.
- Stay Connected — Virtually: For those of us who are in isolation alone, that doesn’t mean we have to be alone. Stay connected to friends and family, keep taking their updates regularly, and giving yours as well. Seek medical help in the forms of therapy and counseling if required.
“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” — Fred Rogers
As a part of mental health awareness, we at f1studioz recently collaborated with EAP India to provide our team members with the help they need and deserve.
It is very important to remember all the more so ever —
WE ARE TOGETHER IN THIS and THIS TOO SHALL PASS!
