A bit of the old normal in the new normal : pandemic edition
June 4, 2020 11:55 AM
As we try to get to the other side of the pandemic, it's pretty clear that the old version of normal is gone. What did you leave behind, and what did you bring with you? More below the fold.
What are new habits/practices that have helped you adapt to the new normal? WFH tweaks, culinary habits, checking in via video calls, fitness hacks, mental health tips, all welcome.
Conversely, what habits of the old life have stood you in good stead and made the new normal more bearable?
I would be especially be interested in hearing from folks who live in dense urban areas, live alone, and have/had more severe movement restrictions, so I can steal those ideas wholesale. Though all flavours of ideas are welcome, of course.
Thank you, and stay safe.
What are new habits/practices that have helped you adapt to the new normal? WFH tweaks, culinary habits, checking in via video calls, fitness hacks, mental health tips, all welcome.
Conversely, what habits of the old life have stood you in good stead and made the new normal more bearable?
I would be especially be interested in hearing from folks who live in dense urban areas, live alone, and have/had more severe movement restrictions, so I can steal those ideas wholesale. Though all flavours of ideas are welcome, of course.
Thank you, and stay safe.
I started...working out at home? (I don't know who I am anymore.) I do a circuit of 5 push ups, 10 squats, 16 planks with shoulder taps, and 20 jumping jacks for as many reps as I can, as well as some barbell exercises I got off the Internet. I have a tiny visible bicep now; it's great! I also got a FitBit since I don't walk anywhere near as much as I used to and need the reminder.
Foodwise, I do more complicated meals and bakes now since I have time. I learned how to make some of the restaurant food I miss - matzo ball soup, knishes, pierogi, fajitas, guacamole, and so on. I also make a crap ton of fancy Instagram bread, babka, and cakes for contactless drop off.
I sometimes do Zoom cooking with my mom since she lives far away and I miss her. It feels like being in her kitchen.
posted by marfa, texas at 12:18 PM on June 4, 2020
Foodwise, I do more complicated meals and bakes now since I have time. I learned how to make some of the restaurant food I miss - matzo ball soup, knishes, pierogi, fajitas, guacamole, and so on. I also make a crap ton of fancy Instagram bread, babka, and cakes for contactless drop off.
I sometimes do Zoom cooking with my mom since she lives far away and I miss her. It feels like being in her kitchen.
posted by marfa, texas at 12:18 PM on June 4, 2020
I was a pretty enthusiastic indoor gardener even before this all happened, but have just doubled down on plants in the house. Anywhere there's enough light and shelf space now has plants on it, or has a reserved spot for a plant in the future. My wife has likewise doubled down on outdoor plants and gardening (this is our plant-division of labor).
I recently helped a friend start plant-tending indoors, and he repeatedly told me that he couldn't keep plants alive. Most of this was due to overwatering in fact, and a cheap-as-fuuuuuck moisture meter has now kept his 4 little pothos and monstera buddies alive and kicking for a few months now. He doesn't have to just divine or intuit when the plant needs water, and having a stricter guideline on when to water has helped him a bunch. Pothos are pretty flexible, resilient and really pretty...and common enough that you do not need to beat yourself up if they die. Step one to successful indoor plant ownership: eliminate guilt for killing a plant. It happens to everyone.
Having a few areas in the house, and out of it, that are news-free and covered in green life is deeply soothing to me. Now that it's happening a little later in the evening, I reserve the golden hour to just sitting without my phone, with my plants, maybe listening to a full record, maybe getting stoned. I'm very lucky to have a few corners of the house and yard that I can retreat to like this.
posted by furnace.heart at 12:28 PM on June 4, 2020
I recently helped a friend start plant-tending indoors, and he repeatedly told me that he couldn't keep plants alive. Most of this was due to overwatering in fact, and a cheap-as-fuuuuuck moisture meter has now kept his 4 little pothos and monstera buddies alive and kicking for a few months now. He doesn't have to just divine or intuit when the plant needs water, and having a stricter guideline on when to water has helped him a bunch. Pothos are pretty flexible, resilient and really pretty...and common enough that you do not need to beat yourself up if they die. Step one to successful indoor plant ownership: eliminate guilt for killing a plant. It happens to everyone.
Having a few areas in the house, and out of it, that are news-free and covered in green life is deeply soothing to me. Now that it's happening a little later in the evening, I reserve the golden hour to just sitting without my phone, with my plants, maybe listening to a full record, maybe getting stoned. I'm very lucky to have a few corners of the house and yard that I can retreat to like this.
posted by furnace.heart at 12:28 PM on June 4, 2020
As a woman, prioritize comfort and utility in clothing.
I’ve been buying pants with functional, real pockets for years now (not easy to find, BTW), but now even my sundresses require pockets. I even found some PJs with pockets!!!
As far as comfort, I’ve bought some soft, comfy, machine washable pants. They are neither as flattering nor as professional-looking as formal pants. But who cares?
I agree with the dog/pets suggestion, as well as plants. I’ll also add finding activities you genuinely enjoy around the house. It doesn’t have to produce a masterpiece, you just have to enjoy the process.
posted by Neekee at 12:42 PM on June 4, 2020
I’ve been buying pants with functional, real pockets for years now (not easy to find, BTW), but now even my sundresses require pockets. I even found some PJs with pockets!!!
As far as comfort, I’ve bought some soft, comfy, machine washable pants. They are neither as flattering nor as professional-looking as formal pants. But who cares?
I agree with the dog/pets suggestion, as well as plants. I’ll also add finding activities you genuinely enjoy around the house. It doesn’t have to produce a masterpiece, you just have to enjoy the process.
posted by Neekee at 12:42 PM on June 4, 2020
And don’t be afraid to text old friends to see how they are doing.
posted by Neekee at 12:44 PM on June 4, 2020
posted by Neekee at 12:44 PM on June 4, 2020
I spent the money I had been saving for a holiday on an Oculus quest headset. I've been exercising, playing, and hanging out in virtual reality and it's by far the best damn thing I ever bought.
posted by hazyjane at 12:47 PM on June 4, 2020
posted by hazyjane at 12:47 PM on June 4, 2020
I live alone, in an urban area. I make it a point every work day to sign off and immediately get up and go outside, even if it's just a walk around the block. The goal was to mirror my old "commute" home, where I mentally disengage from the work day and pivot to my "yay, no more work" mindset. I spend the last 20 minutes of each work day putting on the right clothes, hat, sunscreen (often on conference calls, ha) so there's no excuse not to get up and go when the clock strikes.
I've started going nuts with audiobooks - and I'm excited for my walk today because I'm starting a new Poirot!
posted by kinsey at 12:55 PM on June 4, 2020
I've started going nuts with audiobooks - and I'm excited for my walk today because I'm starting a new Poirot!
posted by kinsey at 12:55 PM on June 4, 2020
I've been doing better at eating and exercise. After a few too many joggers and cyclists without masks very close to me, I started doing my 6000 fitbit steps around my house. I'm actually better at getting it done - probably because all of my excuses for not walking outdoors (it's dark, it's cold, it's hot, it's storming) don't matter.
I'm also eating better. It's easier for me not to bring junk food into the house since I order groceries rarely. I ordered takeout a few times, but I've mostly stopped that now.
And I've been practicing piano for 15 minutes every day. I'm not meeting all of my other daily goals (cleaning, writing), but the piano practice seems to be sticking.
posted by FencingGal at 12:58 PM on June 4, 2020
I'm also eating better. It's easier for me not to bring junk food into the house since I order groceries rarely. I ordered takeout a few times, but I've mostly stopped that now.
And I've been practicing piano for 15 minutes every day. I'm not meeting all of my other daily goals (cleaning, writing), but the piano practice seems to be sticking.
posted by FencingGal at 12:58 PM on June 4, 2020
I wear whatever I want whenever I want, which means, after I finish exercising, I regularly put on sequins and tulle gowns to WFH (yesterday, I socially distance cocktailed in five strands of pearls, a tiara, a ball skirt and a Royal Trux t-shirt) I'm planning to wear all the clothes in various combinations and it has been an absolute BLAST.
posted by thivaia at 1:16 PM on June 4, 2020
posted by thivaia at 1:16 PM on June 4, 2020
Exercise: I live in an apartment with fairly low ceilings and downstairs neighbors, so a lot of indoor cardio-type exercises (jumping jacks, jump rope, burpees) are off limits. Instead, I've been relying in my kettle bell for cardio/strength workouts. I can do swings, squats, and halos without risk of hitting the ceiling or bothering the neighbors.
Routine: On weekdays, I've found it very helpful to do my morning "getting ready" routine immediately after getting out of bed. For me, this means taking a shower, getting dressed, eating breakfast, etc. before starting my work day. If I start working in my pajamas and delay taking my shower until later in the morning, my day feels thrown off.
Food: I've been ordering delivery/curbside pickup from local restaurants once a week. It gives me a little something to look forward to and is a nice break from day after day of cooking at home. I've also been spending a little more than I normally would on fancy food treats from the store, like craft beer or small-batch gelato.
As far as getting fresh air while maintaining physical distance, I've been trying to fit in walks at either a park with a large open field, or a nearby college campus. I find it much easier to zig-zag away from people in these environments, as opposed to the sidewalk.
posted by oiseau at 1:28 PM on June 4, 2020
Routine: On weekdays, I've found it very helpful to do my morning "getting ready" routine immediately after getting out of bed. For me, this means taking a shower, getting dressed, eating breakfast, etc. before starting my work day. If I start working in my pajamas and delay taking my shower until later in the morning, my day feels thrown off.
Food: I've been ordering delivery/curbside pickup from local restaurants once a week. It gives me a little something to look forward to and is a nice break from day after day of cooking at home. I've also been spending a little more than I normally would on fancy food treats from the store, like craft beer or small-batch gelato.
As far as getting fresh air while maintaining physical distance, I've been trying to fit in walks at either a park with a large open field, or a nearby college campus. I find it much easier to zig-zag away from people in these environments, as opposed to the sidewalk.
posted by oiseau at 1:28 PM on June 4, 2020
What a great question. My innate love of sloth has certainly stood me in good stead.
But here's the kicker: it's very difficult to jettison the ol' puritan work ethic that's ingrained (I might say *poisoned*) every one of us. It takes a big mental leap to get over the "I must be doing something constructive during waking hours" inner commandment. I didn't put it there; it's planted at birth, it seems. It takes fortitude to shout that voice down in my mind.
An exercise hack? This isn't much of one, but I walk twice daily now. The minute our local ice rinks get the "all clear" I'll be there....I miss skating like mad.
posted by BostonTerrier at 1:41 PM on June 4, 2020
But here's the kicker: it's very difficult to jettison the ol' puritan work ethic that's ingrained (I might say *poisoned*) every one of us. It takes a big mental leap to get over the "I must be doing something constructive during waking hours" inner commandment. I didn't put it there; it's planted at birth, it seems. It takes fortitude to shout that voice down in my mind.
An exercise hack? This isn't much of one, but I walk twice daily now. The minute our local ice rinks get the "all clear" I'll be there....I miss skating like mad.
posted by BostonTerrier at 1:41 PM on June 4, 2020
Old life:
Cooking. I’ve always been grateful for the ability to cook, especially the ability to make something out of nothing, and never more so than now. It’s so great to be able to satisfy your cravings yourself.
Dog. Every life needs an organizing principle and my dog is mine. Amusingly he has also become the organizing principle of my (non-cohabitating) partner’s life as we have gradually fallen into something of a dogshare arrangement.
New life:
Frugality. I immediately, drastically lowered my standards for everything in an attempt to cut costs and avoid having to shop, and guess what, I feel fine!
Television. I’ve never been against TV, it’s just that I found it hard to get absorbed. Not anymore! I’ve been binge-watching like crazy and I love it. It’s so great to leave this troubled world behind for a few hours.
posted by HotToddy at 1:46 PM on June 4, 2020
Cooking. I’ve always been grateful for the ability to cook, especially the ability to make something out of nothing, and never more so than now. It’s so great to be able to satisfy your cravings yourself.
Dog. Every life needs an organizing principle and my dog is mine. Amusingly he has also become the organizing principle of my (non-cohabitating) partner’s life as we have gradually fallen into something of a dogshare arrangement.
New life:
Frugality. I immediately, drastically lowered my standards for everything in an attempt to cut costs and avoid having to shop, and guess what, I feel fine!
Television. I’ve never been against TV, it’s just that I found it hard to get absorbed. Not anymore! I’ve been binge-watching like crazy and I love it. It’s so great to leave this troubled world behind for a few hours.
posted by HotToddy at 1:46 PM on June 4, 2020
my spouse impulse bought a peloton when it became clear we were likely to be unable gym or workout as we had been. reader, i have gotten on that damn thing every day for the last ten weeks and i cannot fathom what this experience would have been like without it. obviously not for everyone, ymmv etc.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 3:00 PM on June 4, 2020
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 3:00 PM on June 4, 2020
Old life: All my hobbies still provide pleasure and joy, including sewing (except masks, blech), gardening, my cats, and movies. I am a person of routine and that helped with going to full-time WFH. Up at more or less the same time, shower, coffee, answer email - I find that soothing.
New life: No makeup, comfy clothes. I loved deciding what I was going to wear in my old life, sewed many of my own clothes. I haven't gotten that back - maybe because some of it was for others. That was an interesting discovery. I am having trouble reading, even though I love it. I suspect that will return. I was hoping I would make exercise a part of my routine, but it wasn't there before and it's not there now.
posted by XtineHutch at 3:09 PM on June 4, 2020
New life: No makeup, comfy clothes. I loved deciding what I was going to wear in my old life, sewed many of my own clothes. I haven't gotten that back - maybe because some of it was for others. That was an interesting discovery. I am having trouble reading, even though I love it. I suspect that will return. I was hoping I would make exercise a part of my routine, but it wasn't there before and it's not there now.
posted by XtineHutch at 3:09 PM on June 4, 2020
I have upped my cooking skills; my current favorite thing on the planet is onigiri.
I also spent my vacation money on something else; in my case, it was my dream Amateur Hand-Held Radio (Yaesu FT-3D). (I do Amateur Radio, and hold a General license.) That has been fantastic to just sit in my apartment and listen to while I'm working/studying/blowing away bots in Fortnite. Even got around to making a couple of portable antennas, so when this pandemic ends, I can go travelling with said radio.
posted by spinifex23 at 4:28 PM on June 4, 2020
I also spent my vacation money on something else; in my case, it was my dream Amateur Hand-Held Radio (Yaesu FT-3D). (I do Amateur Radio, and hold a General license.) That has been fantastic to just sit in my apartment and listen to while I'm working/studying/blowing away bots in Fortnite. Even got around to making a couple of portable antennas, so when this pandemic ends, I can go travelling with said radio.
posted by spinifex23 at 4:28 PM on June 4, 2020
Semi-urban (I'm within city limits, but I have a house and a yard, if that distinction matters.) live alone, not too movement-restricted (I'm not sure if you mean mobility or imposed movement restriction, but I'm still mostly isolating because I don't think this wave is done and I think the second wave will be worse, and I want to contribute to that as little as possible. Mobility-wise, I have no restrictions.)
I've found that a weekly routine is really helping me. I had this somewhat in the before, but now it's written down and on my refrigerator, so it's for real. I try to do one chore and one treat a day.
Sunday: change linens; make lunches for the week (I like to cook, this is a treat for me.)
Monday: laundry; call my parents
Tuesday: deep clean one room; putz in the yard
Wednesday: fix a thing; write a letter
Thursday: groceries; a call with high school friends
Friday: surface clean (tables, countertops, floors); order takeout (in the before times, I rarely ordered takeout, and then just entrees. Now I get an app, an entree, a couple of desserts, and as many cocktails as I want, since Pennsylvania only legalized cocktails-to-go a couple weeks ago and fuck it, I am going to enjoy this tiny silver lining.)
Saturday: one big chore; call a sibling
I know a lot of people are going toward no makeup, comfy clothes, but my mental health is a lot better if I shower, dress, and put on some tinted moisturizer before I start work. That was true in the before times
I used to wake up early only if I was going to exercise before work; now I'm trying to wake at six every day, and either exercising or reading on my back porch.
I was a bullet journaler before this (not a pretty one, though. My BJ is pretty utilitarian*.) and I've been leaning on that as well. I changed from daily notes to one weekly page, so all my to-dos are week-oriented rather than day-oriented. It helps to cope with the time dilation.
Between the routine and the bullet journal, I know that my living situation is basically okay, and it prevents me from anxiety-cleaning too much, or feeling anxious that I'm not anxiety-cleaning.
Vices I've embraced: one or two cigarettes a day, 4-6 drinks (which is probably not great but I'm not going to change it rn), wearing socks without house shoes even though I know it'll wear through my socks (my mom told me not to do this once and now it is my favorite indulgence. Look at me, wearing my naked socks.)
Vices I've left behind: wanton television watching, drinking to excess (for better or worse, six drinks is not excessive for me). Both got pretty boring after a month, and I'm not missing the hangovers.
New adventures:
* I have an eclectic collection (an eclection?) of cookbooks that I rarely cook from, so I've grabbed one and I'm trying to cook from it as much as possible.
* I'm a big reader but have never been into poetry, so I'm trying to read a poem a day.
* I'm a white woman and I'm not doing enough, so I'm reading a piece a day about what I can do to be anti-racist and then trying to translate that piece into some action.
* I'm going through my phone contacts and either texting an old friend or deleting someone each day.
* I do a pushup or a few pushups whenever a trigger thought comes up (my triggers are a part of my home, a color, and a certain coworker of mine, this is completely arbitrary).
* I twirled baton as a kid and I still have my batons, so I'm re-learning that. Almost got my two-turn back!
Most of all, I'm trying to be okay with this all falling apart. I'm coming off four days of doing all of the above, so right now I feel Very Competent, but on Sunday I just sat on a couch, smoked pot, and half-watched television while playing yahtzee on my phone. I'm not holding myself to any of this - it's a hope, but not a promise. I have drastically adjusted my expectations of myself and everyone else, and I am leaning on compassion. If things normalize, I hope that I take that with me.
* heheheheheh
posted by punchtothehead at 4:59 PM on June 4, 2020
I've found that a weekly routine is really helping me. I had this somewhat in the before, but now it's written down and on my refrigerator, so it's for real. I try to do one chore and one treat a day.
Sunday: change linens; make lunches for the week (I like to cook, this is a treat for me.)
Monday: laundry; call my parents
Tuesday: deep clean one room; putz in the yard
Wednesday: fix a thing; write a letter
Thursday: groceries; a call with high school friends
Friday: surface clean (tables, countertops, floors); order takeout (in the before times, I rarely ordered takeout, and then just entrees. Now I get an app, an entree, a couple of desserts, and as many cocktails as I want, since Pennsylvania only legalized cocktails-to-go a couple weeks ago and fuck it, I am going to enjoy this tiny silver lining.)
Saturday: one big chore; call a sibling
I know a lot of people are going toward no makeup, comfy clothes, but my mental health is a lot better if I shower, dress, and put on some tinted moisturizer before I start work. That was true in the before times
I used to wake up early only if I was going to exercise before work; now I'm trying to wake at six every day, and either exercising or reading on my back porch.
I was a bullet journaler before this (not a pretty one, though. My BJ is pretty utilitarian*.) and I've been leaning on that as well. I changed from daily notes to one weekly page, so all my to-dos are week-oriented rather than day-oriented. It helps to cope with the time dilation.
Between the routine and the bullet journal, I know that my living situation is basically okay, and it prevents me from anxiety-cleaning too much, or feeling anxious that I'm not anxiety-cleaning.
Vices I've embraced: one or two cigarettes a day, 4-6 drinks (which is probably not great but I'm not going to change it rn), wearing socks without house shoes even though I know it'll wear through my socks (my mom told me not to do this once and now it is my favorite indulgence. Look at me, wearing my naked socks.)
Vices I've left behind: wanton television watching, drinking to excess (for better or worse, six drinks is not excessive for me). Both got pretty boring after a month, and I'm not missing the hangovers.
New adventures:
* I have an eclectic collection (an eclection?) of cookbooks that I rarely cook from, so I've grabbed one and I'm trying to cook from it as much as possible.
* I'm a big reader but have never been into poetry, so I'm trying to read a poem a day.
* I'm a white woman and I'm not doing enough, so I'm reading a piece a day about what I can do to be anti-racist and then trying to translate that piece into some action.
* I'm going through my phone contacts and either texting an old friend or deleting someone each day.
* I do a pushup or a few pushups whenever a trigger thought comes up (my triggers are a part of my home, a color, and a certain coworker of mine, this is completely arbitrary).
* I twirled baton as a kid and I still have my batons, so I'm re-learning that. Almost got my two-turn back!
Most of all, I'm trying to be okay with this all falling apart. I'm coming off four days of doing all of the above, so right now I feel Very Competent, but on Sunday I just sat on a couch, smoked pot, and half-watched television while playing yahtzee on my phone. I'm not holding myself to any of this - it's a hope, but not a promise. I have drastically adjusted my expectations of myself and everyone else, and I am leaning on compassion. If things normalize, I hope that I take that with me.
* heheheheheh
posted by punchtothehead at 4:59 PM on June 4, 2020
I find an enormous amount of comfort in rhythm and structure, and I was already WFH 3 days a week, so it was easy to bring that structure forward. For awhile I tried to delineate weekends from weekdays in funny ways (having my coffee in bed on weekends, mostly), but now the non-working-ness is fine. I am lowkey hoping to never have to go back to the office again; WFH, even amongst all of this, is just so good for my mental health.
My cats are also quite good for adding rhythm and structure and, when I'm super-depressed, giving me a reason to get up and do a thing. Even when one had me going back and forth to the emergency vet for a few weeks.
I was raised to have a lot of guilt over getting take-out/delivery food. (....long story.) I am, personally, able to cook just well enough to keep from starving to death or killing anyone, but it's not something that brings me huge amounts of joy. However, now every time I order delivery I am a HERO. (Said tongue-in-cheek, but it really has made me feel less guilty!) I tip extravagantly, and I hope I continue to do so, now that I'm in the habit.
posted by kalimac at 5:01 PM on June 4, 2020
My cats are also quite good for adding rhythm and structure and, when I'm super-depressed, giving me a reason to get up and do a thing. Even when one had me going back and forth to the emergency vet for a few weeks.
I was raised to have a lot of guilt over getting take-out/delivery food. (....long story.) I am, personally, able to cook just well enough to keep from starving to death or killing anyone, but it's not something that brings me huge amounts of joy. However, now every time I order delivery I am a HERO. (Said tongue-in-cheek, but it really has made me feel less guilty!) I tip extravagantly, and I hope I continue to do so, now that I'm in the habit.
posted by kalimac at 5:01 PM on June 4, 2020
Meditating more, wearing soft bras instead of underwire, cooking at least once or twice a week (spouse is the main cook), taking better care of my perennials, starting a burgeoning vegetable garden.
posted by matildaben at 8:02 PM on June 4, 2020
posted by matildaben at 8:02 PM on June 4, 2020
We have finally gotten into a really good groove with grocery shopping and cooking at home, now that we don't just pop-out to restaurants as much. We will definitely keep this up. We have 3 adults in our household, so we each cook every third night, and clean up every third night (not on the night you cook). Each week, each person plans two meals, including putting specific ingredients in a shared iPhone note. The weekly grocery shop gets all the groceries for all 6 meals. It has made home cooking SO easy and so much less stressful. The 7th night is leftovers/fridge cleanout/takeout.
We are having a lot more picnics to see our friends -- on separate blankets in the park (8-10 feet away). Fun, relaxing, and good for all of us to be out in nature!
I stopped shopping on Amazon. I feel horrible about those workers being exposed and being underpaid, without good benefits or protection - and sick to my stomach at Bezos' profits without any taxes. I am just not buying those little impulse buys any more.
posted by amaire at 8:13 PM on June 4, 2020
We are having a lot more picnics to see our friends -- on separate blankets in the park (8-10 feet away). Fun, relaxing, and good for all of us to be out in nature!
I stopped shopping on Amazon. I feel horrible about those workers being exposed and being underpaid, without good benefits or protection - and sick to my stomach at Bezos' profits without any taxes. I am just not buying those little impulse buys any more.
posted by amaire at 8:13 PM on June 4, 2020
My workplace has confirmed that I have to work from home through to the end of the year, and that I can continue to work from home forever afterwards if I like, so I've definitely been reconceptualising some of my COVID-19 habits as the new normal.
I picked up a new musical instrument (after playing the piano as a kid, but nothing since). I've been teaching myself to play the recorder, and have gotten super into it, and I think fairly competent. I've got into a habit of practising for a few minutes between blocks of work during the day, and having a sustained practice session for 30-60 minutes when my husband goes for his daily run. I have a a tenor recorder arriving next week, as well as a fife, so I can branch out and stop annoying the neighbours with the high pitched soprano recorder.
Ordering things online is another one. I used to baulk at anything over a $10 shipping fee, especially for smaller items. But my life has improved immeasurably by not having to venture inside a shopping centre in three months. The amount of time saved is worth it alone, but also I hate crowds and fluorescent lighting and stupid store music. And mostly if I go to a shopping centre, I'll end up buying a coffee and a doughnut, or some item I didn't plan on, too, so maybe I'm saving money even with the shipping fees. And it's amazing what kinds of things you can buy online that I had no idea you could. Fancy cheeses! Pajamas! Plants for the garden! Many local shops let you order online so it's not just Amazon (in fact I think I've only ordered two things from Amazon out of about 30). The randomness of when they arrive is nice too. Some days I get little unexpected presents in the post from my past self. I am never going into a store again if I don't have to.
I'm still working on a new normal schedule for working at home. I'm a night-owl by nature and my ideal working hours would be maybe 3pm to 11pm, or with a couple of hours break in there around dinner time, maybe 3pm to 2am. Working from home makes this much more feasible than it was previously. But I'm also experimenting with working a couple of hours in the morning, taking a long afternoon break (siesta) and then continuing after that. Or working an hour at a time here and there and taking long breaks between each work block. There are so many possibilities and they all have their pros and cons. I hope I will be able to settle into a good rhythm, and for sure it's not going to be 9-5.
My eating patterns have also changed massively, and I think I'm going to stick with it. I got in some bad habits the past few years of buying random food through the day when I was out and about. Not proper meals, but a pie here, and a sushi roll there, and some cake or a chocolate bar here... I was spending a lot of money this way and also eating unhealthily. The forced reset on eating at home and planning meals in advance (because of trying to shop infrequently) has been good for me. I'm not eating much more healthily because there's still a lot of cake and chocolate and cheese in my day, but it's cheaper, and more regular, and I know exactly what's in it. I have started baking the treats from my childhood that I hadn't eaten in decades, instead of just driving to the shop for chocolate or ice cream when I wanted a treat. I'm enjoying baking, and I'm enjoying the results of it.
I've gotten in the habit of cleaning throughout my day. Picking things up every time I leave the room. Wiping surfaces or washing dishes while I wait for the kettle to boil, running the robot vacuum cleaner every couple of days... Things I wasn't there to do when I was working outside the house most of the day.
Oh and bras. Yeah, I'm not going back to underwire bras for daily wear ever again.
posted by lollusc at 9:45 PM on June 4, 2020
I picked up a new musical instrument (after playing the piano as a kid, but nothing since). I've been teaching myself to play the recorder, and have gotten super into it, and I think fairly competent. I've got into a habit of practising for a few minutes between blocks of work during the day, and having a sustained practice session for 30-60 minutes when my husband goes for his daily run. I have a a tenor recorder arriving next week, as well as a fife, so I can branch out and stop annoying the neighbours with the high pitched soprano recorder.
Ordering things online is another one. I used to baulk at anything over a $10 shipping fee, especially for smaller items. But my life has improved immeasurably by not having to venture inside a shopping centre in three months. The amount of time saved is worth it alone, but also I hate crowds and fluorescent lighting and stupid store music. And mostly if I go to a shopping centre, I'll end up buying a coffee and a doughnut, or some item I didn't plan on, too, so maybe I'm saving money even with the shipping fees. And it's amazing what kinds of things you can buy online that I had no idea you could. Fancy cheeses! Pajamas! Plants for the garden! Many local shops let you order online so it's not just Amazon (in fact I think I've only ordered two things from Amazon out of about 30). The randomness of when they arrive is nice too. Some days I get little unexpected presents in the post from my past self. I am never going into a store again if I don't have to.
I'm still working on a new normal schedule for working at home. I'm a night-owl by nature and my ideal working hours would be maybe 3pm to 11pm, or with a couple of hours break in there around dinner time, maybe 3pm to 2am. Working from home makes this much more feasible than it was previously. But I'm also experimenting with working a couple of hours in the morning, taking a long afternoon break (siesta) and then continuing after that. Or working an hour at a time here and there and taking long breaks between each work block. There are so many possibilities and they all have their pros and cons. I hope I will be able to settle into a good rhythm, and for sure it's not going to be 9-5.
My eating patterns have also changed massively, and I think I'm going to stick with it. I got in some bad habits the past few years of buying random food through the day when I was out and about. Not proper meals, but a pie here, and a sushi roll there, and some cake or a chocolate bar here... I was spending a lot of money this way and also eating unhealthily. The forced reset on eating at home and planning meals in advance (because of trying to shop infrequently) has been good for me. I'm not eating much more healthily because there's still a lot of cake and chocolate and cheese in my day, but it's cheaper, and more regular, and I know exactly what's in it. I have started baking the treats from my childhood that I hadn't eaten in decades, instead of just driving to the shop for chocolate or ice cream when I wanted a treat. I'm enjoying baking, and I'm enjoying the results of it.
I've gotten in the habit of cleaning throughout my day. Picking things up every time I leave the room. Wiping surfaces or washing dishes while I wait for the kettle to boil, running the robot vacuum cleaner every couple of days... Things I wasn't there to do when I was working outside the house most of the day.
Oh and bras. Yeah, I'm not going back to underwire bras for daily wear ever again.
posted by lollusc at 9:45 PM on June 4, 2020
I've discovered the joys of audiobooks. I started listening on my daily 4-5 mile walk and now the hour of "reading time" is a strong motivator to not get lazy and skip the walk.
My kickboxing gym has shut down permanently and I've reallocated the $70/mo membership in my budget to pay for a parking space at a storage facility to park the camper we just bought this morning. Since I don't see us on a plane until we are vaccinated we are going to do our socially distant traveling in a small camper.
Also, I was a huge sports fan and honestly, I really haven't missed sports that much. I don't see myself being as obsessive about sports fandom in the future. Don't get me wrong, I'll still appreciate a stunning goal in EPL or a well pitched game in MLB, but I won't plan my schedule around watching on TV anymore.
posted by COD at 10:56 AM on June 5, 2020
My kickboxing gym has shut down permanently and I've reallocated the $70/mo membership in my budget to pay for a parking space at a storage facility to park the camper we just bought this morning. Since I don't see us on a plane until we are vaccinated we are going to do our socially distant traveling in a small camper.
Also, I was a huge sports fan and honestly, I really haven't missed sports that much. I don't see myself being as obsessive about sports fandom in the future. Don't get me wrong, I'll still appreciate a stunning goal in EPL or a well pitched game in MLB, but I won't plan my schedule around watching on TV anymore.
posted by COD at 10:56 AM on June 5, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Balthamos at 12:07 PM on June 4, 2020