Page 62 - SANRAKSHIKA 2020 E - BOOK'

CREATIVITY IN THE TIMES OF CORONAVIRUS
Divya Shukla
AIG
FHQ, New Delhi
Humans have always improved life through creativity and innovation. From the discovery of fire to the internet, new thinking has always been fundamental to social progress and economic growth. Creativity is the use of imagination to create new things, and innovation is the ability to go beyond what already exists by producing a significant improvement of what is already present.
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially announced the SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic on March 12, 2020, and it quickly spread across the world ravaging country after country.
Our lives changed forever in a very short period of time. Not just the economy, but our life was affected. The pandemic severely affected the way we moved by forcing us to stay indoors and not to go out unless absolutely essential, it affected the way we work by forcing us to adopt totally new methods of working, and it affected our relationships both familial and social, as we now have to maintain social distancing as well as social isolation.
It is said that a crisis represents both danger and opportunity. It is only in the times of acute crisis, that our survival instincts push us to look for new solutions to problems. History is full of examples of human resilience in the face of adversity and tragedy. Each time, we have emerged stronger and better with the help of creativity and innovation. So, even though the magnitude and speed of spread of this
pandemic are unlike anything we have experienced in our life, this crisis could represent an opportunity to rebuild and develop a better society.
Staying at home in isolation can lead to a feeling of constraint and boredom. While the general perception is that constraint restricts creativity, it can also have an opposite effect as it is only in constraining situations that people are forced to rethink and look for new solutions to problems and this inspires creativity.
“The purpose of art is to wash the
dust of daily life off our souls”. — Pablo Picasso
Never has that wash been more necessary. In the past few months, people across the world have risen to the occasion, and have come up with new and creative ideas to get used to the ‘new normal’ and maintain safety. Everyone is trying to find ways to make things work in the midst of this pandemic.
Before the pandemic, we were living our lives by the clock. We all had a schedule which we followed. However, corona virus completely changed all pre- conceived concepts of routine, and people were left to adjust to the new routine that allowed more time with self and family. Many people have discovered that this is the best time to connect with our inner selves.
With very few distractions and no going outdoors, people have a lot of free time to do things they could not do before. Some renowned actors, singers, and comedians are using their gifts to do at home performances that are lifting people’s spirits. Not just celebrities, but common people also have come together in their balconies to sing and play musical instruments. Anyone who spends time on social media has noticed interesting posts sharing someone’s latest craftwork or culinary effort. Many families are engaged in more activities. Some are
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