The crowning glory of social distancing: Finding the silver lining during COVID-19
It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed and distracted right now. The coronavirus has seemingly infected everyone’s lives, one way or another. News platforms, podcasts, social media platforms, work emails, personal communications, phone calls with friends and family, flyers at your local cafe - COVID-19 has become a very big part of our reality. And this has called for some drastic measures to reduce the spread of infection.
As with many other people, academics around the world have been encouraged (or mandated) to work from home and exercise social distancing, doing our part in keeping ourselves and others safe. It’s a situation unlike any other and we’re writing the handbook of surviving a pandemic in the 21st century as we go along. We might not have all of the answers right now, but there are ways we can harness the power of social media and technology to help each other through this. Here we share pieces of advice from our OHBM Student and Postdoc SIG committee members on what has helped us as we exercise social distancing and find a new work and self-care routine. We hope you might find some inspiration and solidarity in our committee members’ experiences. Take good care of each other and be patient with yourself as you find your own silver lining during these fluctuating times.
I’ve always loved music and moving to it, whether I’m dancing, running, doing yoga, etc. Starting Monday, March 16, the first official day I worked from home as per University of California San Diego’s recommendations, I wrote down a list of my favourite artists from “A to Z”, and one of their albums that I love but haven’t had a chance to listen to in a while. I am starting my day with a workout while listening to the album of the day on my list. The first morning I ran along Rose Canyon in San Diego while listening to my “A” artist, Christina Aguilera’s “Back to Basics” (I’m a sucker for those divas!). I noticed that first morning that this exercise moved beyond just physically nourishing my auditory system and body - it transported me back to when the album was released, and I listened to it for the first time in my mom’s car while driving up to my parents’ beautiful cottage in Canada. I texted my mom afterwards to share with her what I was doing and how it was bringing back some great memories for me. It was a wonderful way to connect. I’m really looking forward to starting my day re-discovering albums. Looks like I’ll be reaching “Z” pretty soon but I know there is plenty of music and outdoor terrain still waiting for me to re-visit and explore.
- Carolina Makowski, Blog Editor, San Diego, USA.
For me, planning ahead and structure are key to working from home. I start the day by writing out a schedule for myself and a list of achievable goals for the day. It’s important that the goals list is realistic, that way I feel a sense of accomplishment and positive momentum at the end of my day (hint: it can help to scale down your list to only one or two essentials if you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed). If the task is too large to be accomplished in a single day then I will set a time goal for the day (e.g.: do 2 hours of focused work on project x). I don’t have any caregiving responsibilities, so it is much easier for me to manage my days than some others during this time. Take good care of your mental health and be very gentle with yourself in your expectations for productivity!
- Jenn Ferris, Career Development and Mentoring Manager-Elect, Vancouver, Canada.
I knew it was a hard time to focus on work so I spent time relaxing and transferring my attention from the overwhelming news. I love social interaction with people and I think we can still have it when we are in social distancing! My friends and I have tried our best to find ways to play together. For instance, we used some APPs that organize online board games (e.g., The Resistance: Avalon, Werewolf) and some APPs that allow people to sing together. We invited friends who teach dance and we learned the dance moves online, and then recorded it. Sometimes it is fun to eat or drink by yourself while talking to people through the video calls. The most important thing is to have a regular online gathering with your friends and play for fun. Also, it is important to keep physical health so I do exercise at home, such as practicing HIIT using a Yoga mat. It is also a good time to watch your favorite movies and TV series which you didn’t have time to watch in the past. I myself also plan to learn Ukulele because music is always good company for me.
- Mengxia Gao, Chair, Hong Kong, China.
I’ve never been a big fan of using a home office as I prefer to keep work and free time apart. Now, since the home office cannot be avoided, my housemates and I have set up a designated co-working room in our apartment which actually works very well. As soon as I need a break I just move to another room and switch from work-mode into free time-mode. I feel very privileged to not only have the opportunity to transform one room into an office space, but also to be surrounded by great housemates that make me feel less isolated. I also text and skype a lot with all my friends and family around the world to make sure everybody is doing fine and to catch up on the latest news from other countries. Besides that, I keep myself busy with reading, yoga, movie nights, board game evenings, and runs or hikes in more remote areas next door.
- Amelie Haugg, Social Media and Communications Manager, Zurich, Switzerland.
As someone who prefers not to work from home, I suspect this period is going to be quite disorienting for me. I like to compartmentalise my life, which for me means the lab is where I get work done and home is where I don’t. My strategy is going to be to bookend my day with activities that help me to switch in and out of work mode, such as exercise and cooking - we’ll see how that goes! I’m also looking forward to getting back into playing video games, which is something I always tell myself “I don’t have time for”. While this time is weird and uncertain, I’m reminding myself that, as an academic scientist, I am much luckier than many other people. Reach out to your friends who won’t be getting many hours of work in the coming weeks/months, or friends who suddenly find themselves without employment at all. Spare a thought for the healthcare workers who have to work without adequate personal protective equipment. Take care of yourself and others!
- Linden Parkes, Treasurer-Elect, Philadelphia, USA.
When we were told that we would need to start social distancing, I was anxious that I would get stir-crazy. I am the type of person who does not do well staying home for any more than two days at a time. In fact, when I was home for the summers in elementary school, I would tell my mom that I was getting “out-sick”, as opposed to getting homesick. So, for those of you who are in the same boat as me, here are a few things I have done so far. To combat my fear of boredom, on the first day of social distancing, I compiled a list of all of the activities I could do if I got bored and put them in a jar. This consisted of fun activities, productive activities, and random activities. A few examples are: playing online board games, calling up a friend, taking an online class, working on that manuscript I’ve been putting off, and working on random art projects. I also threw in doing laundry and cooking, just so I could have more things to do if I got bored. That way, when the boredom hits, I wouldn’t need to come up with new ideas on things to do but could pull from the jar. I also made it my goal to change out of my pajamas every morning, and try to keep a work routine, working at my desk during normal-ish working hours, and going out to the kitchen/dining area for breaks. Finally, for those of you who are able/still allowed, it’s also nice to be able to get outside for isolated hikes just to get a change of scenery!
- Lily Ito, Secretary, Los Angeles, USA.
How can I stay productive while working from home? How can I stay connected with friends? And how can I stay physically active? I’m still figuring out my answer to the first question, but I’m happy with my solutions to the other questions for now. I have group chats with friends, colleagues, and family, and we’re scheduling video hangouts for more face-to-face interaction. Last night I played a card game online with friends, and we recently signed up for a Nintendo Switch Online “family” plan for more fun together. As for physical activity, not having access to a gym is unfortunate, but I’ve been enjoying resistance band and kettlebell workouts (along with youtube cardio workout videos) in my living room. This is a huge life change for everyone, but if we recalibrate our goals and maintain our relationships, we can stay healthy and happy through turbulent times.
- Kevin Sitek, Social Media and Communications Manager-Elect, Houston, USA.
As an extrovert, I was nervous to begin social distancing and self-isolating at home. I’m used to being around large groups of people, both in the lab and outside and I enjoy constantly going from one place to another. Over the past week I’ve had to accept that I’m going to need to find innovative ways to maintain the things I enjoy about my regular routine during this outbreak. I’ve scheduled many virtual hangouts during times that I would normally meet people (e.g. brunch time) and I try to mimic the “normal” hangout as much as possible. I’m going on daily walks and re-connecting with nature (which will have to substitute connecting with people). I’m also enjoying keeping myself busy with research work, such as writing papers and catching up with the literature. As much as this is a high anxiety time, it’s been helpful to bring back a routine that keeps me cognitively engaged. I find it helpful to check on friends periodically and vocalize when I want my friends to check in on me. I do think that regardless of the challenges we may face, as our life is molded into a very different reality than we’re used to - thinking about this in terms of long term outcome is really useful. It’s not just about the discomfort we may feel now, but it’s about the lives saved throughout this process.
- Hajer Nakua, Chair-Elect, Toronto, Canada.
In terms of working from home, I’m honestly struggling with procrastination and separating “work” time from home time. This is the second week of remote work for me, and so I’m trying to be forgiving and acknowledge it’s gonna take time to adjust. On the bright side my main procrastination activity is baking/cooking so I’m eating really well! I’m also trying to make the most of it rather than fight it - because I’m a night-owl and naps are delightful I’ve found splitting the day into two shifts works for me: starting the morning by checking in with my lab-mates online to ‘clock-on’, with do meetings and emails; and then taking a long afternoon siesta and doing household stuff (procrasti-baking!) or taking a bike ride (excellent for distancing), followed by an evening shift of really focused work with no interruptions. Finding what works for you might take some time, but we can all only do our best so be kind to yourself!
On the personal side, I’ve recently made a solo move to a new city for new job, so my social isolation was already on high! Being at such low risk of exposure, I’ve decided to volunteer for my local meals on wheels who are, like everyone else, struggling with the COVID-19 shutdown. Clearly this isn’t an option for everyone, but perhaps getting creative with some of the ways we can engage with community in these strange times - perhaps signing up for “Skype a scientist”. I find this is keeping my spirits up by feeling part of a wider community in a positive way.
- Megan Campbell, Secretary-Elect, Australia.
On a typical workday, it takes me just under half an hour to get to the lab: a quick drive to Cornell followed by a not-so-quick walk from the parking lot to my lab. Every morning and evening, this walk gave me some time to get some air and refresh my mind. Some days, I spent this time listening to new music and podcasts. Other days, I enjoyed the sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling. And other days, I angrily cursed under my breath as the icy wind chilled me to my bones. But no matter what, I had this time to get into the right mindset to start and end my days. In the last few weeks, I’ve come to realise how much I valued this time. It’s hard for me to get into a work mindset when I don’t have a clear spatial and temporal separation between work and home. I’ve found that incorporating walks and hikes into my daily routine these days give me a much-needed breath of fresh air and a break from staring at the screen all the time!
- Elvisha Dhamala, Social Coordinator - Elect, Ithaca, New York, USA.
I used to work only at the lab and not a big fan of staying home, but I always remind myself with the advantages of staying home during this time, including saving others and myself from getting infected, getting a chance to talk to my mum and family more often, not wasting my everyday commute time, and now I can read the books that I haven’t had the time to read. I also feel lucky that, as a scientist, I still can do work remotely. This period has also taught me to value things I used to take for granted. For physical health, I do push-ups and pull-ups (I literally hang a pull-up bar to one to my apartment doors), and I challenge myself to get a new record everyday. Also, driving long distances while listening to my favorite music always helped to get my energy back to accomplish more work. Despite the hard times, we all should try to think creatively to find ways to continue to be productive – no doubt there are many opportunities to keep active, and tasks we can make progress on (papers we’ve meant to write, a grant we were hoping to find time to get started, etc.) that can be worked on remotely. I hope everyone keeps staying healthy and safe!
- Meena M. Makary, Career Development and Mentoring Manager, Boston, USA
I prefer to work in the lab when I have to analyze data and write my manuscript, especially since I have 2 large monitors and all the relevant software that can allow me to work more efficiently. Even though I can still access my work remotely, the process is not as straightforward. Despite the inconvenience, I believe that working from home and social distancing are necessary measures taken to prevent more people from being infected. Being socially responsible comes with a cost but we can minimise this cost by doing little things that we enjoy. For example, I typically start my day by making myself a cup of good coffee. I also try to spice up my day by trying out new recipes, engaging in different workout routines, and occasionally skyping friends. These little things can make a lot of difference when being “stuck” at home. In attempts to avoid procrastinating, I like to plan my day ahead. Having a fixed schedule and knowing what I have to accomplish within the day give me motivation to complete my daily tasks. Let us help each other out during this difficult time and I hope everyone stays healthy!
- Heidi Emmanuel Foo, Treasurer, Sydney, Australia.