Put your hands up if you’ve been really productive this quarantine season?
Well good for you because the rest of us can’t relate. Hehe!
On a serious note, when the government first announced a lockdown of sorts my initial reaction was of jubilation at all the free extra time I will have to work on my writing. I’d get to save commuting hours, there would be no pressure to visit anyone or keep up with social appointments, and whilst I work from home I could just jiggle the mouse of my work computer every five minutes so my colleagues know I’m still “online”. 😉
Joking. Honestly. That last part was a joke.
But as the days have worn on, so has my optimism. I am all for staying at home and I know the importance of social distancing and taking every precaution to maintain the safety of myself and my family, but sis! The constant cooking, endless piles of dirty dishes, and the vicious cycle of washing, drying, folding, and washing, drying, and folding of clothes is wearing me out! (No pun intended). Throw in the steady stream of bad news at every corner: people losing family members, tired and frustrated NHS workers, employees being put out of work and rumours of an imminent global recession, and it all begins to look pretty bleak! No wonder my last blog post was published on the 30th March. No wonder the motivation to just sit and write has long left the building!
I waddled in guilt at my lack of productivity for the first week, but it wasn’t enough to stop me from just staring at a blank screen. But then I decided enough was enough; enough sitting there gazing at my laptop. Enough moaning to my husband. Enough moping around the house. Enough complaining about missing the sunshine. I decided I would just roll with the tide instead. And so I have been refocusing my energy on a lot of recreation.
What I’ve Been Up to While Quarantining
Baking – yes I have joined the fold of people trying their hand at baking. I am not the best baker (in fact the cake I made two weeks ago was a big fail!) but since then I have made two more batches of very good cake – a lovely pound cake last week and a few banana loaves today.
Catching up with family – I didn’t think I’d see the day but I totally miss my mother and siblings. I have always been a family oriented person, but in recent years I have also developed my own independence. However lately, I have had such a yearning to feel close to my loved ones so there has been a lot of group Whatsapp calls, as well as Houseparty-ing with friends.
Reading – if I can’t write, I can at least read. I’ve been having the time of my life with Imperfect Arrangements by Frances Mensah Williams. I’ve also just completed Safe, an audiobook compiled from the lived experiences of Black British men. The reviews will be coming shortly!
Studying – I am currently undergoing two courses which I am working through very slowly! I am honestly putting no pressure on myself. The first is an affiliate marketing course which was recommended by a family friend and the second, a free course with the Open University.
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If you’d like to know 10 things you can do whilst at home, then click here.
Watching TV – I have never streamed so much TV in one go! After deciding to stop watching the news, sitting in front of my big screen has become more enjoyable. Here are some of the films and shows I have been watching on YouTube, Netflix, Disney Plus and other miscellaneous platforms: Real Housewives of Atlanta, Love Goals, Real Housewives of New York City, Unorthodox, Caliphate, Money Heist, That’s So Raven, Ratatouille, Coco, Beauty & The Beast (both the cartoon and the film!), and The Clark Sisters.
Praying – for me and my husband, there has never been a better time to really seek out God, and pray for his mercy and protection. Not just for our household, but for our world, our family, all essential workers across the globe, the UK where we reside, world leaders, COVID-19 patients and their families, and for the precious souls of those who have sadly departed. Our go-to scriptures are Psalm 91, 2 Chronicles 7.14 and Isaiah 41.10. My prayer for you sis is that you and your family will be encircled by God’s protection in Jesus’ name.
Sleeping – listen, people always think I am joking when I tell them I have been tired since I graduated from uni eleven years ago. There has never been enough sleep, so you better believe I am taking these three months and using them to get as rested up as possible before the rat race begins again!
And that’s it in a nutshell. Let’s share. What have you been up to in the last month? Let me know below.
