#StayHome #StaySafe #SaveLives

I’ve worked from home since 2004 so am used to a fair bit of social isolation, but the uncertainty about what the new-normal will look like when we finally reach it has kept me up at night and given me the worst writer’s block I’ve ever experienced. In fact, I’ve barely gotten any productive work done in the last ten days – and there’s none in the pipeline once the few projects on my plate are complete. 

But rather than add to your anxieties by giving voice to mine, I’d like to share a few strategies I’m trying to put in place that I hope will keep me sane during the weeks (and possibly months) ahead. 

1. I’m doing my best to keep my home clean, organized, and disinfected. I shower, dress, and put on makeup each morning – just like an ordinary work day. I may not have any control over what is happening outside my front door, but I can do my best to create a sense of order inside. 

2. I’m allowing my son to keep his own hours and play lots and lots of video games. He’s 14 and his world just came to a screeching halt. No more hockey. No more school. I nixed visits to the mall, movies, and restaurants, as well as getting together with friends a week before the government did. I’m betting school is done for the year and that classes will eventually be moved online. This hasn’t happened yet, and as far as I’m concerned his education can wait until it’s launched.

3. I’m cooking. A lot. Bread. Pickled Lemons. Soups. Cookies. Pizza-from-scratch. See #1 about maintaining a sense of control. 

4. Most people don’t know this because it’s not ‘Facebook-official’, but I have a boyfriend who lives in Paris. He’s stuck there now, alone, and I’m 6,124 km away. We’re staying connected thanks to What’sApp, FaceTime and HouseParty (depending which app seems to be working best.) Today, we went for a virtual (stationary) bike ride together. Hopefully, it will become a regular ‘date’ until we can meet again in 3-D. 

5. I’m reaching out to friends. Ones I actually know, and ones I know only through Social Media. We’re all struggling to comprehend what is going on at the moment. Even a quick thumbs-up let’s people know they are not alone. 

6. I’m tuning in to FB Live concerts, classes, and talks. Feeling part of a larger community, even through a screen, is good for the soul.  

7. I’m restricting my media intake to legitimate new outlets like the CBC, Globe and Mail, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, and taking it in small doses. 

8. I’m anticipating that my work will dry up for the foreseeable future. Once my brain starts functioning again, I’m planning to take a few copywriting courses so I’ll have new skills to offer when we finally come to the end of this horrible road. See #1 about maintaining a sense of control.