The Jar Healthy Vending team has been already working remotely for many weeks as all of our team member quarantine measures started on different dates depending on the country, they were in. For me, personally, it all kicked off on the 13th of March and we are still having two weeks to go when the first non-grocery related places will start to open. Thus, I can definitely call myself the most experienced quarantiner in our team with six weeks of home staying being already behind me. I just want to share my diaries from the Czech Republic to cheer those of you up who just started this way through those measures. It does seem hard but, believe me, we can do it together and come out even stronger.
Week 1
In my first week, I was feeling happy but really anxious. No need to go to the office and no need to dress up or do your make up. It sounds like a stress relief for a girl, right? At the same time putting my gloves, mask, and glasses to go and buy some food felt like some antiutopian movie we never thought could be real. I touch the handle accidentally outside of my apartment and the paranoiac thoughts start sliding into my mind like: “Who touched it?”, “Am I going to be alright?”, “What if a sick person lives in my building?”, “What if he or she lives next door?”. And with this mood on repeat, I finished my first week.
Week 2
They said there was actually a sick person in my building. I had severe panic attacks when leaving the house. I didn’t even want to leave my house ever, but the online supermarkets were overloaded with thousands of people in a queue. Trying to be a rational thinker I read a ton on the virus and what can possibly happen. It only made me feel worse. By the end of the week, I had read more on corona than on anything else. Also, on the last day of the second week, I decided that it was enough of self-destruction.
Week 3
Fully changed my attitude. Doing sports in the morning and listening to audiobooks while having breakfast and lunch. I started to dress as if I was going to the office. Felt more disciplined by that. I learned how to cook protein snacks myself but still missed our wide range of healthy nibbles at The Jar Healthy Vending machines. Bought online training course and exercised 3 times during that week. Started to enjoy time for myself plus found the balance between work and leisure.
Week 4
Self-isolation felt like a new normal. Invited my sister with her boyfriend for dinner but made them wash their hand three times and wipe their phones with antibacterial gel. Went to the park for a walk. Never thought walks could be such a mood booster. I reorganized my wardrobe. Exercised even more. Used public transport and felt like a superhero that is not scared of anything or anyone. Improved my cooking skills and learned how to do some tikka masala. Ordered few outfits for after quarantine cocktail. Still not sure if it’s all a dream or reality.
Week 5
Woke up with a feeling of apathy. Stayed in that condition for half of the week. Is summer canceled? No Mykonos? No Portofino? Decided to switch my focus from future to now. Finished another book on self-development. Talked a lot with our team member remembering all the best times of our parties together. Missed them like crazy. Supported the local coffee shop and had my first latter for take away in five weeks. Bought new sports equipment. Lost 1,5 kg since the start of quarantine. Praised myself for being productive and motivated. Received a present from our CEO Iurii which made my week brighter.
Week 6
The government announced of taking down some of the measures. Booked my manicure and thought I was the happiest person on Earth. Finished my thesis for university. Cooked Japanese pancakes – that was unreal. Started to drive a car together with my sister after one year of getting my driving license. Finally, saw the end of this quarantine which is the 25th of May as for the Czech Republic. Read books, exercised with even more enthusiasm. Thought of canceling my gym membership when realized that I didn’t really need it to stay fit. Found out I can do even more when working from home than I could do in the office.
Overall, I can say that I had my mood swing from time to time, and, yes, it was hard at some point to accept the new way of life. The main things that helped me to stay sane during this period were work routine, exercising, and talking to my favorite people. They say do not try to stress yourself out for being not productive during this period. Instead, I believe you should take off those excuses and use this time to become the best version of yourself. So grateful that we are on the same wavelength inside our team which helped me so much to through this.