Who would have thought?
Living through a pandemic…
It feels like we’re in an end of the world horror movie and the world is being run by Dr. Evil.
I’m extremely grateful to be in a position where I can work from home.
I’m thankful for my boyfriend (doctor), mom (nurse), and many many friends (doctors) who are working during these stressful high-risk times.
I’m not gonna lie. It’s been INTENSE but I’m trying to keep as calm as I can and not let my anxiety take over.
A few things I’m doing that has helped my anxiety is the same stuff you’ve probably already read/seen all over the internet:
1) Exercising/doing yoga
2) Keep your home/workspace clean
3) Work next to a window with natural light
4) Catch up with as many friends as you can
5) Eat healthy
6) Having a focus for the day (like a personal to-do list)
We’re all going through this together and I wanted to check in with how my friends around the world were handling it in this edition of let’s get intimate.
Carlos
Dominican Republic
Research Assistant
How are you? Feel free to share as much or as little as you want.
I would say I am pretty good. Two weeks ago I was very stressed out because that was when they announced the lockdown in the DR and declared a state of emergency and social media was driving me crazy with all the Coronavirus updates. This week, I am focused on actively dealing with stress, both related to the pandemic and also just normal work stress. I am fortunate enough to have a job that can transition into remote work relatively easily. However, working from home is difficult for me because I usually like to keep my living and workspaces separate. I have discussed this with my superiors and we have agreed that productivity may go down during this time, and that is okay. This has taken the edge off a great deal, and I can focus on keeping myself sane during this time and making progress with my projects as much as possible.
Tell me something good that happened recently.
I recently started meditating, and I was surprised at how relaxing it was! I just close my eyes and focused on my breathing for a few minutes. Afterward, I felt refreshed and focused, and just blazed through the day! I am going to turn this into a daily routine, as it has been called a good stress-relief activity. I have also been spending a lot of time with my puppy because we are spending a lot of time together in the house – she is behaving super well, and that makes me super happy!
What are some of your shelter in place tips?
Get off social media. It helps no one going in circles about the spread of the disease, and the chaos that it is causing in our society. If you are staying home, that’s all you need to do to contribute to ending the pandemic, I think. I have also read that keeping a routine during this time helps keep the mind busy. I have that covered with my work so my routine has not changed that much, except for the leaving the house part. Also, make sure you touch base with your parents and relatives, especially older ones that may be hardest hit by the isolation.
What advice would you give your future self?
Try to focus on the now, focus on the meaningful stuff you do every day, and remember things are gonna be fine no matter what, so don’t stress out about uncertainty in the future.
Maria
Syracuse, NY
Assistant Professor
How are you? Feel free to share as much or as little as you want.
I’m ok, overall. I have pandemic-related anxiety about what’s happening and what will happen, but I’m also grateful for a lot of the privileges I have that make this experience not as bad so far. In some senses, the work/social slow-down has also reduced or overshadowed a lot of other anxieties from daily life as well, so that’s a silver lining.
I try to take it day by day.
Tell me something good that happened recently.
I’ve gotten to reconnect (virtually) with friends I haven’t spoken to in a while.
What are some of your shelter in place tips?
I’ve found it really helpful to put structure on my days: I aim to go to bed early, get enough sleep, and wake up early. I try to make sure I’m eating three meals a day at reasonable times and setting aside a time every day to go for a walk or exercise.
What advice would you give your future self?
Make peace with the fact that a lot of things in life are out of my control and appreciate the things that are
April
London, UK
Law Student & Digital Marketing Freelancer
How are you? Feel free to share as much or as little as you want.
Okay! Having worked from home for several years the shift hasn’t been too stressful, but the forced isolation and inability to do the things I used to – to release stress (including going to the grocery store… has been a surprisingly frustrating transition.
Tell me something good that happened recently.
Moved house to a place with a bit more space, a welcomed change in these circumstances! (even if the move was incredibly difficult to do with stay-at-home orders in place haha) Also celebrated my 30th, woohoo!
What are some of your shelter in place tips?
1. Bake when you can (flour shortage here in the UK)
2. Binge-watch comedies, even when [I’m] looking for crime thriller dramas, haha
3. Weekly dates w/ loved ones on Houseparty or NetflixParty,
and
4. DIY self-care (facemasks, etc.)
** Bonus: Youtube for learning new skills like drawing or singing and discovering hobbies.
**Bonus: Don’t underestimate the power of Google.
What advice would you give your future self?
Build a bunker.
Undani
Lusaka, Zambia
Enterprise Sales Lead
How are you? Feel free to share as much or as little as you want.
I’m Zambian. I’ve survived Malaria, this ain’t no thang.
Tell me something good that happened recently.
I like working from home – also I attend meetings without pants.
What are some of your shelter in place tips?
NEVER.LET.THE.BOOZE.RUN.OUT
What advice would you give your future self?
Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional. Never stop goofing around, especially with the ones you love.
Alicia
Panama City, Panama
Senior Operations Manager
How are you? Feel free to share as much or as little as you want.
My fiance, pup and I are doing good given the circumstances. We are learning to have a more thankful mindset instead of being upset. We are thankful to have each other, a job, food and a healthy family.
Tell me something good that happened recently.
I found a good Indian restaurant! Their cheesy naan is the best :).
What are some of your shelter in place tips?
Before giving my tips I did want to share that we are currently living in Panama, where they have a strict quarantine in place.
We can only leave our apartment for 2hrs (time slot depends on the last # of your passport), 3 days a week (divided by gender), alcohol can’t be bought or sold and we have to wear a mask anytime we are outside.
In addition to following the CDC guidelines, I found the following extremely helpful:
1. Short walks in the morning: I notice the difference in my mood and productivity when I go for a short walk compared to when I start working right away. After enjoying some sunlight and listening to the birds I’m more at peace and focused when I get back.
2. Eat healthy and work out: I have more energy and physically and mentally feel better.
3. Emotionally and mentally check in with yourself: I know that sounds silly but as positive as I try to stay some days are tougher than others. So I do take a minute to just feel and if I need to cry, be angry, worry and so on I do it in a safe space. I feel much better afterwords, and hugging my dog right after that takes any lingering negative feelings away.
4. Check-in with your SO and family: It makes me so happy to just talk and connect. We try to talk about the good things that are happening in our lives, no matter how small they may seem.
5. Try new things: I’ve learned to cook a lot of new dishes!
What advice would you give your future self?
Remember to take the time to breathe and enjoy family time! I get so wrapped up with work, projects, travel and whatever is next that I don’t always make the time I should to spend with family and friends. Even If I can’t be there in person I can still make the time to stop and connect digitally.
Thank you for reading.
Until next time.
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Check it out and share it with anyone you think may need it.