Being furloughed in this pandemic is an unexpected balm for my anxiety as the month of holy fasting begins

Exclusive | 3 min read

This weekend marks the start of the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims all across the world – a time of fasting and self-reflection. It’s also marks an opportunity to reconnect to our faith.

It requires resilience and commitment, fasting from dawn to dusk, forgoing all food and drink, including water. Activities like smoking and sex are also banned. Usually, I would be juggling the physical and mental demand of this month-long task with working full time.

This year, I’m furloughed from my marketing job and lucky to be isolating at home with my sister and parents. It’s made me realise, or perhaps admit, how anxiety-inducing Ramadan has been for me in previous years under normal working conditions.

Apart from spending a spell in my parents’ home country of Libya as a child, I’ve only ever experienced Ramadan here in the UK. I’ve often wondered if everyone were in the same boat, would the ramped-up anxiety I feel whilst fasting at work be so heightened?

Or maybe, we just don’t hear about the realities of Ramadan in the mainstream media enough so people simply don’t know what it invovles. Those who follow Ramadan understand the complexities and practices, of course. But people who aren’t Muslim, or don’t have any Muslim friends and relatives, may not understand. That’s not a criticism, it’s the reason I’m writing this piece to give a little insight.

Like many people in their 20s, I suffer with anxiety and in the past have found it worsened whilst juggling the requirements of Ramadan alongside my job. The act of abstaining from food and drink is physically draining and impacts my ability to concentrate, leaving me stressed and agitated. You can imagine why that might make me feel paranoid at work.

In previous years, colleagues have avoided me during Ramadan simply because they didn’t know how to act around a person who is fasting. They’ve worried about offending me whilst having their lunch or snacks and drinks. It’s kind and in its own way sweet, but misguided.

This year fasting during lockdown, I won’t have to deal with the awkwardness of workmates giving me a wide berth because they have a cup of tea in their hand, and won’t be paranoid my boss thinks I’m doing a bad job.

This is the first Ramadan in years, in fact, that I’m not working and it’s brought me much relief from the anxiety I suffer daily. Being furloughed triggers, of course, its own worries about how long this pandemic will last, the health of my loved ones and safety of my income in the longer term.

Even still, these anxieties are less than the usual ones I’d feel sat at my desk at work, constantly alternating between wanting a glass of water to quench my thirst, and stressing about deadlines.

So this year, instead of the usual dread I feel when Ramadan comes around, I’m excited to fast at home with my family and look after my neglected mental health. It will also give me the opportunity to really focus on what Ramadan is about: to remind myself of the privileges in my life and try to help others who may be less fortunate.

Whilst I am lucky enough to be receiving the majority of my salary and remaining safe at home, key workers are putting their lives on the line to help others, feed others and carry out vital duties. Muslim key workers will keep Ramadan this year under the most trying of circumstances.

Come dusk, I’ll be so grateful to sit down with my family and break our daily fast with a glass of milk, dates and a prayer before having a delicious meal cooked by my mum. I think it’s the first time in my life I’ll be able to properly fulfil what’s required of my body, heart and soul during Ramadan and amidst this frightening pandemic that has claimed so many lives already, remind myself of all that I have to be grateful for.

Bookmark this for next year: how to help colleagues during Ramadan

*It’s OK to ask Muslim workmates about their faith and fasting. Most will be happy to share their journey with you

*Don’t exclude fasting colleagues from social invites. They’ll appreciate being included, even if they feel unable to join you

*Don’t avoid your colleagues if you have food or drink. If they’re uncomfortable, they will make adjustments. It’s worse to feel ostracised than to have a whiff of food.

*Flexible working hours during Ramadan may be really beneficial to Muslim workers

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