How to stay sane during COVID-19 and what will be different afterwards
It’s an understatement to say we’re living in unprecedented times. This is definitely one of the most strange, uncertain periods in my life. I’m on week 7 (maybe 6, maybe 8) of working from home and staying home except to get groceries and everyday necessities. It has not been easy. Sometimes I feel like I’m in a groove and have this down, only for that feeling to fade… fast.
While it hasn’t always been easy or smooth, here are a few things that have helped me a ton to get through these extraordinary times.
Being more strict with my time
For the first few weeks working from home, it was easy to spend almost the entire time I was awake working in some form. Maybe I wasn’t as productive mid-afternoon as I should have been, so I’d sit down after dinner and work for a couple hours. It was unsustainable.
I’m trying to be more structured with my time during the day and it’s helping. I still like to leave it fairly flexible due to the nature of my job (sales), but I have some non-negotiables. I get up like I’m going to the office and am online working at the same time everyday. The nature of the work may vary, but the time doesn’t (mostly). If it’s my week with my twins, it’s catching up on emails over coffee in the kitchen while I make breakfast and entertain a couple two-year-olds (calls are a bit difficult at this time). If not, I’m at my desk working.
At noon, I drag myself away from the computer for something physical. Sometimes it’s a big walk with my dog, sometimes it’s a workout inside (mostly weather dependent). Regardless, getting away from the computer for an hour and sweating has been a key to my mental health.
Finally, I set a limit on when I finish work for the day and get on with my evening (which sometimes also involves work, but it's for myself). This fluctuates a bit from day to day, but not by more than an hour.
Keep the mind engaged
Recently, I’ve been teaching myself to build things with wood. I would not consider myself “handy” and I took one woodworking class in grade 8. But it has been a fun way to flex my mind, keep busy, and build some pretty cool shit. So far I’ve done toddler beds (no more cribs!), barstools, and planters. I love it. And now I’m trying to find every reason to build something - I need to keep it under control, though, if I don’t want my house to be overrun.
The point is, it’s helped to keep my mind busy and flex it in ways I usually don’t. I sit behind a computer for 9-10 hours a day on most days, and working with my hands offers perspective and provides a lot of reward.
Move, outside
Disclaimer: I’m located on the west coast of Canada and the weather has been fantastic (sorry to friends who saw snow this week).
Being able to get outside and do physical activity has been a saving grace. There is a noticeable difference in my mood and performance on the days I don’t do some sort of physical activity. The type and intesnity of the workouts differ day to day, but it always, always helps clear my mind.
Find joy in the little things
I know this sounds cliche, but it’s helped me a lot. I have two examples. First and foremost it’s been my kids and dog. Instead of being frustrated or anxious (which I still am a lot), I try to find joy in tiny things like being able to see my kids all day instead of just waking up, leaving for work, and coming home to do dinner and bed. They also don't speak in full sentences and are content throwing a ball or sipping an empty tea cup, so it’s a wonderful escape from the craziness.
The other example has been cooking. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, but it’s turned into more of a chore than something fun. The bit of extra space has allowed me to begin treating cooking like a craft again rather than a chore.
It’s been fun trying new recipes, working on my knife skills, and chopping up my fingers.
Bonus: What does life look like post-Corona?
The easy answer is that no one knows, and it’s true. I definitely don’t know, but I have some ideas about what might be different.
Movie theaters are all but dead. People will go back to doing lots of things they did before the pandemic (travel, concerts, sporting events), but there are going to be things that people realize they don’t miss much. Movie theaters are one. I haven’t been to a theater to see a movie in 5 years at least. With the cost of TVs and home theater equipment, people can get 90% of the experience at home.
Work-from-home becomes the norm rather than the exception. I think we’ll see a ton of organizations re-think the idea of hundreds of people coming to a central location to work together when they can achieve the same efficiency from home. People will still need to collaborate in person, but it’s going to look a lot different. Employees will get a lot of time back (i.e. no commute), to the tune of 2-3 hours a day for many people. It will also have a positive impact on the environment and allow large spaces for more critical uses.
Shopping local gets a boost. We’ve seen a major push towards shopping local to help vulnerable businesses get by. I think this pandemic will show people how important it is to be able to produce necessary goods on a more local level. Just look at all the shortages we’re seeing across multiple categories.