Rowena Duncum: Turn off, tune out, escape Covid fatigue

Rowena Duncum took a relaxing stroll around Virginia Lake to switch off from Covid news. Photo / Kim Gillespie

Opinion: Switching off from technology brings a welcome respite from the pandemic for The Country's executive producer Rowena Duncum.

Much like the Warriors-faithful catch-cry, "it's our year" - 2021 was supposed to be our year. The year we kicked Covid to touch - along with phrases such as "new normal", "unprecedented times" and "pivot."

And, much like the Warriors-faithful - 2021 is not our year.

Instead, we're bombarded at every turn with Covid.

Visibly - with masks and QR codes everywhere we turn.
Audibly - with news bulletins anytime we switch the radio or tv on.
Socially - with Facebook, Insta, Twitter, Snapchat and Tik Tok feeds every time we pick up our phone.

You name it, Covid's there.

It's easy to get overwhelmed. And it's just as easy not to realise you're overwhelmed - it sneaks up gradually.

That's what I've found at least.

Covid-fatigue is very much alive and well, especially 18 months in.

I've just spent a long weekend in Whanganui - only the second time, besides opening weekend, that I've been home this year.

Catching up with friends and family was exactly what the doctor ordered.

But, surprisingly, it was a simple stroll around Virginia Lake that made the most impact.

Usually, if I walk in Dunedin, I have tunes cranking and notifications pinging through.

But if you're familiar with Virginia Lake, you'll be familiar with the need to ditch the phone and pay attention to your surroundings. Trust me on this - you ignore the territorial ducks, geese, swans and Pūkeko at your peril!

So, with aeroplane mode engaged, off I set.

It. Was. Amazing.

No interruptions with case numbers. No new places of interest announced. Zero headlines about vaccine numbers or DM'd social media videos about freedom protests to bring me down.

I think it's the first time in a long time that I've really been able to disconnect from technology.

It feels like there's this constant need to keep informed, keep up to date, not miss anything - because life might change on a dime and we'll get left behind.

But even that, to me, isn't the biggest pressure at the moment. It's all the other stuff you see when you do connect, like the division around the vaccine. And this division is ugly.

It's hard not to get caught up in it. It's hard to watch people on all sides of the argument attack others. It's hard to watch people share material that is clear, yet clever, propaganda and harder still to watch others lap up every word.

It feels like online vitriol is at an all-time high and it's not a nice space to be in.

I honestly never thought I'd say this, but bring back the old days of thousands of pictures of your newborn baby who looks the same in every single photo and likely just has wind - not a smile that only you can interpret.

Bring back pictures of kids winning player of the day awards, your pets doing funny things and people asking simple questions on social media like "what's the number for the nail salon in town?" when they could have easily used less time and energy googling it.

I promise never to scoff quietly to myself again.

If you find it's all getting a bit much, maybe don't try travelling to Whanganui to walk around Virginia Lake - trust me for a second time here when I say the flights can be as expensive as hell.

Just find a local lake or a short walk or a nice view. Engage aeroplane mode and simply take in the views, the sounds and the scents.

It's a beautiful time of the year to do all three and it might just help you get through the next few weeks.

Little chunks of time at a time.

But God help us if 2022 isn't the Warriors year.