12 lessons I’ve learnt so far from COVID-19 isolation

We’re in lockdown. We’ve all had seasonal viral illnesses of late and we’ve got chronic asthma in the house, so we’ve shut ourselves away and we’re hoping you do too (if you can) so we can #FlattenTheCurve and save the lives of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

On day 6 (is it? I think so) here are some things we’ve learnt so far:

Earmuffs are bae.
If like us you’re still on the clock and working from home, industrial ear muffs are a great investment. See if your shop of choice will deliver them to you.
Pomodoros, baby
Another one for you parents *lucky enough* to be working from home – look up the Pomodoro technique. Consider alternating pomos with your partner. It may sound silly, but it also may be the key to your work productivity woes.
There’s no lockdown on gardening.
Head out into the backyard and take in the fresh air. You know that weeding you were meaning to do? Time to get grubby.
And if you live in an apartment start singing out the window like in Italy. It’ll catch on, for sure.
I need some house plants.
I just do. It’s getting cold and I can’t have the windows open all the time (especially when it’s raining) and they’d be really nice and oxygenating.
Hangovers still exist in lockdown
I know there’s a lot of chatter about gettin’ on the grog (which I support, within healthy limits) but you’re still gonna get hungover if you go too hard.
People. Are. Fuckwits.
If I see another person saying “stop fear mongering”/”why are people panic shopping the world has gone crazy”/”it’s just a flu”/”YEAH BUT I CAN’T SELF-ISOLATE WHAT ABOUT MY SMALL BUSINESS” I’m gonna lose my shit. So I’m now limiting my time on Facebook. I think it’s for the best. (Meanwhile Twitter seems to be one giant crisis hole, but at least people are a bit more switched on in that sphere. How? I don’t know. Don’t ask me.)
It’s good to take notes
This is an extraordinary time to be alive. It’s also an extraordinary time to go insane. Keeping a notebook – whether online or on paper – will be a nice little memento. Or a large, distressing memento. Something cool to look back on, at least.
Make a messenger group of fellow-self isolators
Share funny and/or helpful things and good resources with one another. Keep boosting each other’s morale, especially if you’ve got kids.
Have the difficult conversations with your loved ones
I had a long, calm convo with my parents the other day, in which I talked all about what the world knows about COVID-19, why we’re isolating and why my parents should do the same. I thought I was wasting my time, but they did a lot of research and now they’re 100% in agreement. My [[darling sibling]] who is still heading out to clubs til all hours is going to have to isolate for 2 weeks if he wants to see any of us. Sounds extreme, but these are crazy times.
Make some COVID-19 songs
Yesterday I did a verse of “Bye Corona” and my sister-in-law clapped back with Corona-themed versions of “I was only 19” and “Psycho Killer”. Sing them with us and add your own!
There is still stuff to stream online
I’m one of those people who complains about how there’s nothing to watch on Netflix but keeps paying for it anyway. But surprisingly there is still plenty of good stuff to watch online, so don’t worry. My top recommendation is the BBC’s Peep Show (you can find it all on YouTube). And, crucially, the ABC just added five brand spanking new episodes of Bluey to iView today (you’re an adult? So what?)
It’s all gonna be okay.
Yes, I know, it seems like our Federal Government is run by a blob of smug, cult-loving play dough who is not taking COVID-19 seriously enough to make the hard calls. But this crisis will be over eventually. You’re gonna come through it. And everything will be alright.