Beyond #WFH is our initiative to spread positivity and inspire our readers by inviting leaders and friends to share what they do to unwind and relax after they finish their work-from-home and work-for-home responsibilities during the lockdown.
While Covid-19 has had multiple impacts on business and Beyond #WFH is not about business, it’s about self-discovery, things that will give us the strength to get through the lockdown and more importantly for those ‘moments’ that will stay with us for long and beyond this pandemic. PS: We are not talking business!
In this story of Beyond #WFH we bring to you, Prachi Bali, Business Head – North, FoxyMoron who is not only an advertising professional but also a proud mom of an adorable four-legged Bruno.
Read on…
The world as we know it has changed its dynamics and will continue to do so as time moves on. We’re adapting our habits and routines rapidly to accommodate what the situation demands from us. It can get challenging to keep calm when things around are so uncertain and the work pressure is at a level we’ve never experienced before. But then I’ve found myself in a routine that brings me peace and helps me cope with these ambiguous times. I invest my time in doing things that help me feel more connected to my loved ones and help me feel more centered.
Organising years’ worth of memories (more like reminiscing and re-connecting!):
Each one of us swears that there are things we would get around to doing, but never land up finding the time for it. I am sure people with organising OCDs will identify themselves with me when I say I have a box full of hard drives that I needed to organise and compartmentalize. They have years’ worth of memories, art work and projects packed in countless folders. It is like opening a pandora’s box, you don’t know what jackpot you will stumble upon next! What better time to reminisce about those fond memories of your past? I found myself going through albums dating back 10 years, rearranging and categorizing them into folders, while fondly remembering the good times.
I try connecting with friends from across the world every couple of days to check up on them, share a good laugh here and an old story there. After I’ve finished my work for the day, while walking on the treadmill, I video call some of them. As usual we discuss everything under the sun before I retire to bed, ensuring that my day closes on a positive note.
Enjoying the company of my four-legged sweetheart:
Spending time with my dog Bruno is a huge stressbuster for me! This phase has brought me really close to him, getting to know him and watching him grow up. His baths have become more frequent for my liking and to his disliking off course! He makes guest appearances on my meeting calls now, especially since he has learnt to open the door of my makeshift office room. So, every time when he misses me or wants a pat or two, he will just walk-in and position himself in between the laptop screen and myself to get my attention. We will be celebrating his second birthday soon, and I’m thrilled to be able to spend so much time with him during this lockdown.
Donning the colourful hat:
Something that especially helps me release the stress and unwind over the weekend is this colouring book that I got myself a long time ago, but never got around to using it. Weekends usually used to be spent socializing outdoors. Now it’s relaxing to sit in a corner, forget the world around and go experimenting with colours the old school way like when we were kids.
Game, gamers, gaming:
I’ve never had time for online games, but now there are these tiny pockets of idle time in the day and I decided to fill them up with mindless games instead of cluttering it with negative news stories. Of course crossing levels and unlocking achievements adds an innate sense of joy to the regular work day flooded with emails and calls.
So while the world is continuously changing around us, it is upto us to find time for ourselves and ways to occupy the mind. While the norms of societal interactions are being redefined, we need to strive to fight for our sense of calm, peace and happiness.
