Today I placed myself under self-isolation in the morning with a great amount of fanfare and regretted it a few hours later when I felt better. I hadn't got much sleep last night partly because of the chills. Placing myself under self-isolation initially made me feel virtuous but as the day wore on I began to rethink my decision. The fever had disappeared, and although I was still feeling under the weather, it could just be because the last few weeks have been stressful.
I had thought that being away from the office would help me work as it would take me away from the collective swirling paranoia around coronavirus, but no such luck. I found myself spending a lot of time on news websites. This is possibly the most important event in European history since World War 2. But thinking about it constantly will drive me nuts, so I am hoping that boredom will drive me back towards my PhD work. Particularly as the last two weeks have not been very productive.
The PhD is a constancy in my life, a goal that exists in and of itself, independent of what happens in the world, save for major illness or death of me or my loved ones. The world might look very different post coronavirus but a stinking good PhD will still count as a stonking good PhD.
When events are trying to constantly trying to pull your attention outwards, it is a struggle to go inwards. But going inwards is essential for salvation. Its not a question of whether I will be able to manage it but how soon and how easily.
I had thought that being away from the office would help me work as it would take me away from the collective swirling paranoia around coronavirus, but no such luck. I found myself spending a lot of time on news websites. This is possibly the most important event in European history since World War 2. But thinking about it constantly will drive me nuts, so I am hoping that boredom will drive me back towards my PhD work. Particularly as the last two weeks have not been very productive.
The PhD is a constancy in my life, a goal that exists in and of itself, independent of what happens in the world, save for major illness or death of me or my loved ones. The world might look very different post coronavirus but a stinking good PhD will still count as a stonking good PhD.
When events are trying to constantly trying to pull your attention outwards, it is a struggle to go inwards. But going inwards is essential for salvation. Its not a question of whether I will be able to manage it but how soon and how easily.
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