That has left me thinking since 2 days. Here are some thoughts.

These are testing times for everyone. The last pandemic happened in 1919, so nobody on the planet has gone through something like this before, well, at least nobody who can recall what happened then. And hence everything is a test, and thus, testing times. 

The internet, which is our bread and butter, and a life saver in today’s times, is also going through testing times. So are our hospitals. And healthcare systems. And businesses. And not just in India, all over the globe. 

For all of those healthy and safe, let’s start with one of the most important things that is helping us survive during this pandemic, the internet. Just like people keep saying don’t put pressure on the hospitals and medical system, I would also request all of us to not put pressure on the internet too.

Just because we are home, doesn’t mean we need to be hooked on Netflix/ Prime/ Online gaming etc all the time. The more pressure we put, the more stretched bandwidth providers will get, and who knows, the internet might break down. And then you never know, some people might refuse to step out to fix – which might be a correct decision too by the way. And we don’t want to happen, right? No internet would mean not only just no entertainment, it would also mean reduced communication (no WhatsApp etc) and for companies like Niswey, no business altogether. I remember interviewing a candidate from Srinagar, about 6 months back. He was a developer who had just moved to Delhi. I asked him why did he move? He said “I worked in a 20 people IT company. Internet band kar diya government ne, to wo company bhi band ho gyi. All my friends are jobless.” since that day, every day I have thanked the universe that we have access to good internet. 

Let’s be grateful that we have good internet access. And let’s all ensure that we don’t put unnecessary pressure on the internet, too. We can develop new hobbies, like reading physical books, painting, cooking, cleaning. The last 2 are the ones I have been doing 🙂

If you are unsure of what/how to do, Google has a lot of resources, for eg: A course on Digital Well Being. Home Workout. Cooking. DIY – yes, they are YouTube links and need the internet – but after watching once, to actually implement any of this, you don’t need the internet anymore.
Choose your interest. And see if you can decrease some pressure off the internet. Will be helpful, in ways we cannot see. 

Thanks for your contribution. 

// Posted during COVID-19 outbreak //

I was talking to a friend and he was complaining about no conversions. And i told him, at this time, how are you even expecting conversions. He had no answer. No one on the earth has the answer to that. 

After the call I started thinking, yes, everybody ‘wants’ something, but no one is willing to ‘give’. So why don’t we give? Ever since the lockdown happened, I’ve donated to 4 different NGOs. And every time I’ve donated, I’ve shared about the NGOs with a few friends. Some people say that now is the time to save, and not give. My answer to them is, didn’t you save on petrol for the last 15 days? Or on ordering from Zomato/Swiggy/Uber Eats? Or on your cigarette and beer? And maybe on more such things that you’d be spending if you were going out? So why not ‘give’, because right now, a lot of people ‘want’ it. And they cannot ask for it. 

By the way, money is not the only thing you can give. There is another precious resource, time. If you have old people in your house or in your family, you could spend some time with them. Talk to them. Ask them stories about the 2008 recession. Or the one in 1991. Or maybe the 1984 emergency – trust me, there are some great stories to hear.

And then, think for yourself, what stories are you going to tell you children? Or your grandchildren?  What did you do when this pandemic happened? Trust me, you want to tell them happy stories, and the great things you did, to make this world a better place for them. But to tell those stories 30 years later, you need to act now. 

// posted during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 //