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For those in need of a little Job love and career inspiration

The art of escapism during iso…

Hi there lovely peoples, still having fun in self-isolation land? Finally able to sneak a little time for yourself, to relax, regroup and re-energise? Promised I’d round up and share a few books and Netflix/Foxtel marathons into your regroup box and. Thanks to friends and colleagues skilled in the art of escapism, here’s their top 5:  

Book fix

Looking to fuel your apocalyptic fascination? After reading these dystopian novels, you’ll feel surprisingly reassured about life post-pandemic.

Station Eleven (Emily St John Mandel) – centres around Jeevan, one of the few survivors after mysterious flu quickly turns into a full-blown pandemic. This book is beautifully written.

The Hunger Games trilogy (Suzanne Collins) focuses on a futuristic view of survival of the fittest. If you didn’t see the movies, grab these and cheer for Katniss.

Brave New World (Aldus Huxley) – published in 1932 – shares a future where citizens are environmentally engineered into an intelligence-based social hierarchy. Read it in the 70’s – scared the wits out of me!

1984 (George Orwell) published in 1949 – depicts an imagined future, the year 1984, when the world has fallen victim to perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, historical negationism and propaganda. The darkest of classics.

The Handmaids Tale (Margaret Atwood) – features a dystopian world that unfolds after a second American civil war, where a totalitarian society subjects fertile women, called ‘Handmaids’ into child-bearing slavery. I’ve been obsessed with the SBS series!

Series fix

Who doesn’t love a good marathon? This is an eclectic bunch with something for everyone, except the kiddies.

Ozarkcentres on a married couple forced to relocate their family to the Ozarks following amoney-laundering scheme gone wrong. Darlene remains in my nightmares!

Mad Men – a classic about a womanising advertising executive, the plot tracks the people in his personal and professional lives, and as the series progresses, you’ll observe the changing moods and social mores of the US throughout the 1960s. Damn, I love you Don, you sexy beast!

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness – this “crazy true crime” documentary centres on Joe Exotic, grandiose big cat zoo owner (and country musician), convicted for trying to put a hit on animal rights activist Carole Baskin. Jaysus there’s a few cray-cray’s out there!

The English Game – set in the 1870s, football was once a sport for the wealthy British before a working-class star and his upper-class counterpart come together to change the Game forever. For a non-sporty girl, I loved this series.

Succession – centres on the fictional Roy family, the dysfunctional owners of a global media and hospitality empire who are fighting for control of the company amidst uncertainty about the health of the family’s patriarch. Gripping season finale – can’t wait for the next season! 

I know you’ll have heaps more – why not drop them into the comments box below. Meanwhile, enjoy!

Sheltering from media sensationalism…

Hello, lovely readers – first up, how are you? Safe and well and settling into this new self-isolating way of life? My heart is with you all.

Like most of you, I’m now working from home, currently from the dining table of the lovely Silver-Fox’s apartment on the coast. Surrounded by work-related detritus, headphones in; my work pivoting to 100% virtual delivery within weeks of the COVID-19 alert. Semi-retired, the poor man feels the need to vacate his own home to give me video conferencing privacy. This is the new norm. Similar stories the world over as we settle into partner, children, pet co-oping.

Until recently, I had been observing how humanity went about managing the physical, mental and emotional elements of social isolation with relative dispassion. No kids or pets to consider, comfortable with my own company, healthy, cared for, life looking easy compared to so many out there battling the ramifications of the pandemic. Then last Sunday I awoke in a miserable ‘we’re all going to hell in a basket’ mood, no doubt thanks to an overdose of media sensationalism. Fuelled with a mental bitch slap, a cuppa tea, and a compassionate conversation with the Fox, it was then that we made a pact – to focus only on the positive. Here’s where I started:

Finding calm in an ocean of uncertainty…

That view of the Gold Coast skyline from my work station. – ocean to the left, a canal below and Harbour Town, the Dublin Docks Pub and Dan Murphys in the foreground. The once packed car-parks now empty, except for Dan’s. Dan’s still making a roaring, albeit socially distanced, trade. God bless Dan!

The new commute – bathroom, kitchen, work station. – the rush hour replaced with a leisurely breakfast, work-suitable tops over leisure-wear bottoms, and bottomless cups of tea.

Seeing the faces of the entire national team on video conferences. The intimacy of working with colleagues in their personal spaces, meeting their pets, children, partners, parents, learning of their favourite tipples during virtual Friday happy hour drinkies. More connected than ever, despite the real world ‘disconnect’.

Gaining a deeper understanding of my team’s personalities outside the work-place environment. The socialite, grappling with solo living and an anxious dog. The single dad, coaching his sensitive teens on the differences between fact and sensationalist reporting. A husband in lock-down in another country, another in another state with borders closed. A young mum, building a work routine around two little people demanding 24/7 parental attention.

Long evening walks on the wide semi-empty beaches while savoring deep conversations, gulping the crisp ocean scented air, attuned to the cry of the seagulls, the feel of sand between toes, warm ocean ripples tickling the ankles.

Perfecting the putt on the St Andrews Golf Course – aka the mini Putt-Putt assembled along the lounge floor. The 19th hole bar, aka the fridge beer offer. Assembling the Wii – released from hibernation, dusted off and ready to provide some old fashion exercise and even more amusement.

Actively seeking out good news stories, kind words, good deeds – humanity at it’s best. Marveling at the Venetian canals, now so translucent, you can see fish thanks to the cessation of water traffic. The air clear above China. The social media shared positive images, good news stories, hints, and tips for home-schooling kids. The Mum teaching her grade two kid the grade four curriculum, the result of an accidental download. Folk having virtual parties, work teams showing up in crazy outfits.

Not to mention, a kindle loaded with books, iPhone with calming, meditational apps and Spotify sound-tracks, a fridge full of healthy food, oh! and enough loo-rolls to last another two weeks. As well, a considerable interest in what our world might look like post-pandemic.

Stay tuned for the next blog which will feature a round-up of people’s book, movie, Netflix marathon recommendations, apps and everything calming I can think of.
Meanwhile, drop a line in the comments box to share your coping ideas.
Stay safe lovely people. x

There’s always lentils love…

Hi lovely readers, is it just me, or are you too feeling like your in some kind of weird apocalyptic limbo-land? It really hit home when a lovely stranger said to me as I stared at the empty shelves in the supermarket – ‘there’s always lentils love – nobody eats ’em?‘  

Last week: business as usual – work, future strategising with colleagues, movie night, shopping, gym, chatting with mates, dining out, sleeping.

This week: The COVID-19 paradigm shift.

Next week: business as (un)usual – home desk work, Teams video future strategising with colleagues, Netflix movie night, online shopping, YouTube yoga, FaceTiming mates, dining on Lentils (the last can standing in the supermarket), fitful sleeping.

Surrounded by media sensationalism, drowning in speculation, struggling to separate fact from fake, cognizant of an undercurrent of fear, clinging to glimmers of positivity, ruminating on what the world will look like afterward – no wonder we’re feeling anxious and stressed.

The structures that drove our time—commute schedules, work schedules, activities schedules—all disappearing as we adapt to working from home, distance our friends and find new ways to entertain ourselves and the kids. To help myself, and maybe you too, I’ve rounded up the expert’s suggestions for designing an effective schedule to alleviate some of that stress.

SLEEP

The dramatic increase in COVID-19 related news means I’m staying up later engrossed in the latest headlines, my normal commute no longer exists, my work schedule is in disarray, and that’s all derailing my sleep schedule. You too? To build an ideal sleep schedule, try this:

First, determine the time you will want to begin work, taking into account your now reduced number of morning commitments. From there, work backward. E.g. if you like to snatch 7 hours of sleep and need to wake by 6 a.m., plan to snuggle into bed by 11 p.m. at the latest. Goes without saying that giving yourself one hour before bedtime to wind down by turning off phones, computers, TV and other screens by 10 p.m. will also help. My phone has a bedtime setting that shuts calls and activities down at a predetermined time.

The loss of that commute alone can also be an opportunity for you to rest better than ever, helping you become more productive while also boosting your mood and immune system.

WORK

My new work from home schedule is still shaky but I’m keen to maximise my productivity, hence my Outlook diary is filled with colour coded reminders on day to day tasks that would normally be second nature. The experts say it helps to keep the surrounding activities as similar as possible too. E.g. if you walk to and from work or public transport, take a walk around the neighborhood to mimic that habit. If you lunch with a coworker, eat lunch with them via a video call. Why? Because our mind already has deeply embedded patterns, keeping the same schedule allows us to take advantage of already established ways of doing things.

CHILDCARE

Working from home with kids underfoot? Yep, goes without saying a new schedule will be needed for both yourself and your family. Parenting friends say their kids thrive on structure, so developing routines similar to the ones they are used to at school and at daycare will help prevent behavioral issues and promote harmony at home. They say that managing this by setting aside specific times for meals, physical activity, learning, and play helps.

If the kids are old enough to take care of themselves, work with them on a schedule that will make the best use of their time. E.g. If they love their sports, help them come up with a strength and conditioning plan. If they have academic pursuits or hobbies, help them brainstorm ways they can still learn and grow, despite them being kept from their normal activities. For younger babes, organising childcare into shifts that work for both. If unable to split shifts, they are making the most of time before the kids wake, during nap times, or after they go to bed, keeping the less challenging work for when they’re up and about.

EXERCISE

Fitting in physical activity can be easier thanks to the loss of commute times, however, our typical routines are usually built around access to gyms, studios, and pools, most now either barred or shut down. No couch potatoing here thanks to YouTube videos, strength-training with the lentil cans or free weights and daily walks outdoors. Even if unable to practice with your sports team, you can still work on techniques, like kicking a ball or shooting free throws. Another way to handle anxiety, reduce stress and sleep well.

RECHARGE

This one’s essential. Why not replace time spent on social media or watching the news with something that generates true relaxation. It could be exercise, praying, reading, listening to music, spending time with your family, or doing a creative hobby. Mine includes researching 54 ways with Lentils and cooking with my loved one, having deeper conversations and we are both working on exercising mindfulness and giving meditation a go, all wonderful ways of managing these stressful times.

We may not know what the future holds but by giving ourselves a schedule we can still make the most of the present. In fact, I’m off to indulge in a spot of meditation now.

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