Week 55: Curfew!!

 Dear reader, 

"A regulation requiring people to remain indoors between specific hours, typically at night" 

Since this weekend there is a curfew for the Netherlands. You are not allowed to be outside between 9pm and 4:30 am. In many different European countries there have been a lot different types of curfews. For France this means you can't go outside between 6pm and 6am. Each country has a different set of curfews, either for specific areas or different times that don't allow you to be outside. 

For most people it is the first time ever to experience a curfew. With multiple versions of the Corona virus and governments not getting control over the virus this is the last resort to make sure the cases go down before a vaccination gets on its way. Being in a lock down and adding a curfew makes it harder and harder for people around the world to enjoy their freedom. Today I am going to look at what a curfew means for a country, the people and how you can use this time to your advantage or your success. 

Countries and curfews: 

Each country within the European union is allowed to decide their own measurements that they can take to get control over the Coronavirus. I highlighted two countries in the introduction and how they are trying to get a grip on the virus. For most of the countries traveling to other countries is restricted. Only essential stores are open and the amount of people you can have over is very low. In France they have experienced by sticking to the curfew a drop in cases between the 8 and 13%. 

A curfew is the last real resort countries have to reduce the amount of cases and make sure no more people get infected or the chance that the virus can mutate. Whether or not a curfew is effective needs to be seen after a period of testing. If the cases will go down and the vaccinations will start rolling out we can judge whether or not the curfew was an effective action. 

Life during the curfew:

Basically life stops at the time the curfew is set. I stood outside for a moment the other night and there was nothing but silence. No sound was to be heard except for some ducks far away. For most people life basically stops. The social interaction has been reduced to even zero in some cases. Being able to play a game or have with a few friends or family was the last evening activity you could do. Now you are restricted to your own house. 

There are two sides to every story and the same goes for the curfew. Some people are against it that it takes away their freedom to go and do what they wish. Others see it as a hopeful way to gain back our freedom faster than without the curfew. In my direct surrounding we have been in lock down for months already and if the curfew can help then we must swallow this bitter pill and get over it as fast as we can.

Use the time to your advantage: 

Being in and out of lock downs for nearly a year's time is our biggest commodity. In some of my other blogs I have explained that this is the most important time that you can use your time the most effectively. Now you got another chance to work on some of the things you always wanted to do but never had the "time" to do it. Of course, everything you wish you could do can be done now, it is time to focus on new ideas. Stick yourself to the diet you always wanted too do, start reading more, learn a new skill, whatever it is just do it. 

For me this time means more time for reading, working on my side hustle and investments. Also to reduce screen time on the TV, computer and phone. It might be harder sometimes because there are easy distractions for when you feel bored, but it is worth it. The most important thing is to stay busy, once you get bored your mind starts asking questions about the situation and depression can hit hard in these times. Especially if you are alone with no one around and easy distractions like a TV or phone.  

Is the curfew effective? I don't know. This is for me the first experience of a curfew. But I do know that you can make it effective. By learning and teaching myself to look at different sides I try to find the positive within the negative. It is often hard because you don't know what would happen next or what the effect will be. But I do know that taking the time to do more and not less would be better for your mental and physical health. 

This is going to be a new part of my blog, I want to inspire you and I want you to take action for the things you wish to do in life. So I am going to set an example and I hope to inspire you with this new part. I am big on challenges to see what I can do and where I can go in life. For the first hour of the curfew you are going to do something else then that you normally do. It might be reading a book, to put your phone a way, cook a meal, no TV, do some home exercises, write a journal, play a game, whatever it is challenge yourself to doing something different at the first hour of the curfew. I am going to not look at my phone for the first hour of the curfew. I will have it upstairs in my bedroom so I won't be tempted to look at it. What is the thing that you are going to do and stick to during these curfews? Let me know in the comments!!

Thank you for reading and see you next week. 

Franklin, Moments 2 Success 

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Photo by James Yarema on Unsplash 

Photo by Garrhet Sampson on Unsplash