6 THINGS I'VE DONE WHILE IN QUARANTINE
I have no idea what day into quarantine this is (230? 231?) but what I do know is, that it’s been a lot. A lot of thinking, a lot of watching, a lot of panic and most of all, shocking. COVID-19 has rocked us all and what we knew as normal is now a thing of the past. Everyone has handled quarantine differently and even 6 months in, every day brings on a different range of feelings and emotions. We have never been this restricted for this long, ever.
And let’s not forget masks... all the masks.
Coping with quarantine for me has played out like this… having waves of extreme highs (high productivity, lots of ideas, tons of energy ) then a lull that feels like it drags on for a week (lots of naps, staying in bed longer in the morning) However, I have managed to do a few things while being inside as well. Here are 6 things I've done in quarantine.
REST:
My career is in the restaurant industry on top of me running a food & lifestyle website and trying to piece together my ultimate business, The Mise Group. Simply put, I have my hands in a lot of things and I’m not home often. I always joke that I only sleep and get mail sent to my apartment but Covid has actually shown that to be true. I have honestly never been at home for this long; in fact this is the first time I’ve been home this much in almost 10 years. That shocked me a little but after I got over the fact, I took advantage of this time at home and got some rest. Actually sleeping at night and taking non-guilt filled naps during the day with no deadlines to meet or dinner services at the restaurants to get ready for. Although it’s a lot of things going on, I can say that I feel well rested.
EAT:
I’m always conscious of maintaining a weight that feels right for me. Tons of hearty salads, protein and kombucha only, I spent the winter making sure not to pack on any uncomfortable seasonal pounds. And then corona came and added those pounds right back in my life. In times of crisis it’s vital to be kind to yourself and if yourself wants a cookie... cookies are happening. Or banana bread, or whipped coffee or all the viral food trends that have kept our nerves level over the past few months. Yes, we have all gained a little weight and that is perfectly ok. We are 6 months into a pandemic with no end in sight and no answers from the people we view as leaders, so eat that cookie friends.
MOVE MY MONEY AROUND:
I'm always good with my finances but when I got laid off back in March I knew I had to pay closer attention to my money. Once everything was settled with unemployment and I got some panic shopping out of the way like the rest of the world, I honed in on what I wanted to save, what I was keeping and what I was lowering. My bills have not changed during the pandemic (they are still coming -_- ) but I did make it a point to increase the amount I have sent to my automatic savings account and I also let my Digit account keep doing it's thing. I know times are weird and money fluctuates so I'm simply keeping an eye on my money, the world and adjusting it as the months go on.
BECOME OK WITH THE THOUGHT OF PIVOTING:
I've been in the food & restaurant industry for over a decade and to watch it crumble within a matter of three days when the pandemic first hit NYC in March was incredibly nerve-wracking. We have all seen the word “pivot” over the past few months and naturally it’s what we all have to do or will begin to do as the pandemic continues. I had a moment where pivoting was not an option, then an option, and I’m tettering a thin line on it being not an option again. We are in times of uncertainty and being open minded and flexible seems to be the only breathable option right now.
GET MY (BUSINESS) DUCKS IN A ROW:
I always like to have my business ducks in some what of a row because you always want to stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready. When quarantine hit and I had an abundance of free time, I honed in on both Eating Fabulously & The Mise Group. Throw in the increased support of small black businesses, these last few months have been a ramped up learning experience in running 2 business simultaneously together. My merch sales went through the roof, I learned how important customer service was when shipping was delayed all over the world, and I secured 3 clients for The Mise Group.
HAVE FULL CONVERSATIONS:
Quarantine brought a lot of fear, anxiety and emotions to the forefront very fast. We naturally tend to suppress our emotions as we go through out our day but all this time at home has brought those emotions and feelings to the top. When something traumatic happens we tend to pick up the phone and call people close to us and I was on the end of both spectrums. Gone are the days of a simple "hey, how are you" text followed by an "I'm good" response. Now I find myself and others asking questions of substance, with the best one being “how are you mentally?” and even expressing bottled up feelings. Trauma always makes you remind people that you are thinking of them and that you love them so be sure to do that even as things head back to semi normal.