Sheltering in place for two-and-a-half months has bubbled a lot to the surface — some of it good, some of it bad, all of it unique to the situation. As parts of the country are finally beginning to reopen, it begs the question of how we’ll adapt to post-quarantine life — not just the things we’ll do once we’re back in the world, but the things we’ve already left behind and the habits from this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime experience that we’d like to bring with us moving forward.
Like those fortunate enough to be sheltering in relative comfort, it’s been a period of rediscovery for many of us at Centercode, as much as it’s been a period of flux. We’re taking comfort in dormant favorites: a love of old video games, of spending time outdoors, and of carbs. Specifically bread. Oh do we love bread.
Jim’s “Jane Dough” sourdough loaf is the real reason we’re trying to get back to the office.
We’ve also rediscovered some activities from childhood. Last week’s Hometasking challenge took us back to middle school sleepovers by building blanket forts.
Brad’s spoopy blanket fort, complete with its seasonal perfectly acceptable year-round decor
In the spirit of rediscovery, Centercoders Luke, Erin, Bryan, Britt, and Tim share snapshots from their home offices and talk about the things they’ve gotten rid of and things they’ve rediscovered throughout their time in shelter.
Luke, CEO
“Exercise, family time, and networking — that’s my new norm. I realized yesterday that I hadn’t driven in nearly two weeks, hadn’t left my property in 5 days, and hadn’t worn shoes in that five-day span. I’m also literally twice as productive now — which is something I haven’t been able to wrap my head around.
“I bought a very nice rowing machine, only to discover that I don’t like rowing. Thankfully, I fell in love with Supernatural — a VR workout system — and that gives me new workouts every day. I’ve saved about $500 in coffee runs but the trade-off is that I’m spending $13 every time I order boba. Thankfully, my wife Betsy orders for both of us so I don’t have to mentally reconcile with it.”
Erin, Marketing
“It was an adjustment at first, but working at home has been pretty nice overall. I’ve been very intentional about designating living spaces and workspaces in my apartment, and that has helped me maintain focus and boundaries while we’re all cooped up.
“I really miss my coworkers (despite Zoom), and staying on the same page with everyone is more of a challenge from home, so I will definitely look forward to being in the office again whenever that is possible. But for now, I’m enjoying this while it lasts.
“As for my free time, I have never in my life wanted to do a puzzle. I have nothing against them, but until a few weeks ago, I had just never been interested. I needed to fight off some of the cabin fever, and it was either that or one of those fancy paint-by-numbers sets. I was ALMOST wooed by the paint-by-number before realizing I would never finish it — even halfway. A good old-fashioned 1,000-piece puzzle was just what I needed.” 🙂
Bryan, Dev
“I was amazed by our team’s ability to get set up and back to work so quickly, and with no measurable drop in productivity. This situation forced a new degree of organization on us, and we’ll carry these learned skills forward to when we get back to the building.
“Apart from that, I’m coping well here…even with two teenage boys. I’ve been gardening a lot — our roses are incredibly fragrant. Something I’ve thrown away: my backyard fence! It was a 20-year old farmhouse style wooden fence that was falling apart, and having to look at it so much…it just had to go. Something I’ve rediscovered: it’s corny but my wife and I have really enjoyed spending more time together!”
Bryan’s “incredibly fragrant” rose garden
Britt, Ops
“I was pretty on-edge for the first few weeks of shelter-at-home, so I knew I had to find some productive ways to deal with the disruption. Over time, I’ve rediscovered a lot of my hobbies to keep me from going insane. I’m sewing again (making masks for family and friends), finding time to play guitar, trying to perfect tiki cocktails, and even attempting to start a little herb garden on my apartment balcony.”
Britt and Wyatt enjoying what we can only hope are perfectly crafted tiki cocktails
Tim, Sales
“Sheltering in place has really highlighted the importance of maintaining a work/life balance — this was a bit of a challenge for me early on. Now, I’ve gotten into a routine where I log off my computer by a certain time and start my home activities — I’m cooking with my wife a lot more frequently, for example.
“In spending so much time with my two children, I’ve rediscovered my lego-building skills. My five-year-old son loves them so we’re always building new kits. He’s also very much into Hot Wheels, and I was able to dig up my collection from when I was a kid for him to enjoy.
“In general, this experience has taught me how adaptable people are. My children surprise me every day with their ability to shake off these substantial changes to their routine. I love that my wife and I have found a way to still be very productive in our respective companies while dividing up our house into makeshift workspaces. And I’m most impressed with our sales organization here at Centercode; the team is the definition of adaptable. They’re incredibly efficient while maintaining the drive required to succeed in a rapidly expanding technology space.”
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