Well, that was some Coronacoaster ride
I know I’m not alone in the pursuit of finding my balance when the world tilts. It’s become quite the focus for so many of us during COVID times.
While you’d think a copywriter with her own home-based business wouldn’t be immune to impacts of the global virus, then I’m sadly bursting that bubble.
Many of my not for profit clients cancelled campaigns and strategies I was about to deliver, while other clients put their owns shutters up and all work on hold, as income and budgets trickled away.
Consultants like me are often the first to go. (Spoiler alert, things improve!)
I found myself stretching income on JobKeeper and slipping into a home school supervision role for my kids at the kitchen table.
My normally quiet office and efficient work-space was suddenly a crowded place of noise and low bandwidth.
Like others, life distorted for a bit, then calmed.
Here in Victoria we endured two lockdowns – the first one of 3 months and the 2nd for 4 months. The 2nd felt a whole lot harder with restrictions of reducing us to only being able to leave the house for 1 hour a day to exercise in 5km, a curfew, no visitors and most services and shops being closed bar the essentials. It impacted us all in various ways.
I held the space, when I could by focussing on things I could control or connect with.
Here’s how I rode the Coronacoaster:
I bought local, online
I celebrated small victories
I had fun doing silly things
I created new family traditions
I had check-in chats with family and friends
I nature bathed wandering the coastline at my door
I wallowed on the hard days and let the tears and protests out
I invested in COVID convos with consultant colleagues and writer pals
I accepted the quiet and enjoyed it for extra reading, sleeping and bath soaking time
While the world closed, I felt weirdly opened up
COVID gave so many of us opportunities that challenged, exposed and recalibrated.
There were a tonne of other ways I hunkered down and help the space for myself. Check the next blog for my full Pandemic Playbook strategies to help keep my balance.
Here’s to all of us who endured and adapted.
Let’s keep talking about these times that impacted us all as we take on COVID normal.
Next week’s blog share’s my full Pandemic Playbook.
Cheers,
Andrea