Will the world be happier in 2020? Does The 8th World Happiness Report 2020 offer any information about COVID-19 and its impact on happiness? The Report 2020 do not make forecasts about future happiness. The global pandemic poses great risks for some of the main supports for wellbeing, most especially health and income. Will the world be happier in 2020? Does the Report offer any information about COVID-19 and its impact on happiness? As the outbreak of novel coronavirus is affecting both physical and mental health of individuals across the globe, United Nations International Day of Happiness on 20 Mac 2020 Friday launched the campaign theme for this year dedicated to uniting humanity and winning the fight against the global pandemic. Through the campaign - 'Happiness For All, Together'- the organisation urges all 206 nations and territories on the planet to fight the tough times together. The world of work thrives on planning, however, the unpredictability has disrupted our routine. Companies, big or small around the world are forced to shift to remote work in response to the spread of COVID -19. The repercussions from the health, safety, finance and economy perspective are unimaginable. This Report marks the first time that looked at the happiness of city life across the world, both comparing cities with other cities and looking at how happy city dwellers are, on average, compared to others living in the same country. Anxiety and fear seem to be growing and casting a cloud of uncertainty. The continuous media cycle and deluge of WhatsApp messages surrounding the outbreak, has only helped in stoking the fear. We have all been asked to practice social distancing and working from home (WFH). The flip side of WFH is that it restricts meaningful connections that help in creativity. Due to the lack of set office hours, you may end up tele-calling and video-conferencing into late hours especially if you work across time-zones. Over time, you may fall prey to loneliness and depression with little or no face-to-face interaction. A lockdown cannot stop you from thinking out-of-the-box on ways you can choose to be happy. Best yet, our choices and actions can be shared with others and this can empower others to take the steps towards happiness. We have started this process and we invite you to join us to help the global community create and celebrate happiness beyond the International Day.
Disclaimer : Views are short opinion pieces by the author to encourage the exchange of ideas on current issues. He may not necessarily represent the official views of Urbanice Malaysia. All errors remain the author’s own. This view was prepared by Azmizam Abdul Rashid, researcher from Urbanice Malaysia. Author’s email address: azmizam.urbanicemalaysia@gmail.com. Attribution – Please cite the work as follows: Azmizam Abdul Rashid. 2020. Covid-19 : The Thief of Our Happiness. Translations – If you create a translation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with the attribution: This translation was not created and should not be considered an official Urbanice Malaysia and shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation.
