It starts when I wake up, and even after doing a 5-minute guided meditation, I walk into my living room and realize, “here we go again”, the new routine is as follows. I wash up, put on my clothes, have breakfast and open my computer to start work. I go from my bedroom, my bathroom, then to my open kitchen overlooking my living area: with a small dining table, a couch and TV and a desk area for my computer. All within four walls.

There is no more checking my app in the morning to find out when the next tram is coming to my stop in front of my house. No more checking the weather and dressing appropriately to get out of my apartment for my commute. I used to take the tram and then a short 20 min. bus ride or on warm days I would walk across a bridge to get to my office building. On the way home, I would see people rowing, kayaking or sailing and that would always put a smile on my face.

No more saying “Hi, how’s it going today” to the co-worker I shared my office with, or to the people I would run into the hallways. No more making plans for lunch with co-workers or going for a short walk after lunch.

Instead, I “commute” from my bedroom, to my kitchen and living area, and I have no one to say “Hi” to anymore, during the day, since I live alone.

Luckily, like most of you, I have adopted some coping mechanisms. I have zoom chats with my family, friends, co-workers and my therapist, so I still have meaningful conversations with people. I signed up at my gym just recently to have virtual yoga classes and to go use some of the equipment in the gym, to get out of the house after work and more importantly to see real people, in person in the same room as me! And the exercise will do wonders for my mental and physical health, too.

I take short walks in my neighbourhood sometimes in the morning, but usually at lunchtime or in the late afternoon after work. But coming back to my apartment and staying there so many hours each day and night, does feel like a confinement which is to say the least, not fun.

And at work, our administration just told us we will be working from home at least until Jan. 2021, so I need to continue to find ways to find balance and a sense of joy while living through this pandemic.

What have you lost and how do you cope with your life during this pandemic?

Christine

A Moodscope member.