If it bothers you so much, why do you do it?
In this era of COVID-19 and its associated lock-down, it is clear that the negative effects of the pandemic are endless but we are not here to talk about this. As the days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months, almost everything we’ve always known as the “norm” has been replaced by an online version. Interestingly, online courses existed before now but for some reason they seem to annoy us so much these days. In my opinion, it is probably because we can no longer make the usual “I don’t have enough time” excuse to put off taking or completing these courses.
Gradually, these uncompleted online courses start to cause a nagging feeling at the back of our minds. It is worse if you follow motivational speakers on social media platforms. The lock-down is depressing enough as it is, and sometimes you go online hoping to find one or two hilarious posts you can drown yourself in. You find them effortlessly and you start laughing but the next minute, you scroll down and you’re hit with “Have you finished that online course?” and then you get irritated again.
Undeniably, completing an online course amidst all these uncertainties is difficult. There is no guarantee that you’d even be alive long enough to make use of it. This is why you need to ask yourself honestly: If it bothers me so much, why do I do it? Why are you taking that online course? Is it because it is free? Is it really helpful to you? Is it beneficial to your career development? Do you even have any interests in that field? Are you taking it just because you want say that you took an online course too?
It’s okay if you do not like the answers to these questions. I do not like them too. If the answers annoy you, it is probably because you’re taking that course for all the wrong reasons. That’s okay. I’m on that table too.
Stop. Wait a minute. I do not want you to leave here with the wrong message.
By all means, please take online courses but only because they are of use to you. Avoid information overload just because the source of information is “free”. So next time, when you see “join this free masterclass on… “ or “udemy is offering a 100 % discount on the following courses”, I want you to sign up for that course because you need it and not just because it’s free.
On a final note, these are confusing times for everyone. Even the World Health Organisation says the world is in an uncharted territory. There’s absolutely no need to put undue pressure on yourself.
Breathe.
