Where Do You Fit On The Quarantine Spectrum?

It’s the only time in your life that you have lived through a pandemic and isolation. Two months ago none of us knew how we were going to cope with isolation, would we just about survive or would we thrive?

Answer the questions below and see where you fit into the isolation spectrum.

• Did you learn (attempt to learn) a new language or instrument?
• Did you do an online class?
• Have you created a home workout space?
• Have you redecorated your house or garden?
• Have you started working on a business idea that you have always wanted to?
• Did you bake bread from scratch?
• Did you watch Tiger King?

Isolation is Life

If you answered yes to most of those questions then isolation is life and you took this time to pause and embrace the forced downtime. For the first time, maybe ever, you took the time to slow down and think about what you really want from life. Now that life is opening up, you know that you will never again spend your weekends rushing from social occasion to social occasion. You and your own space will no longer be an afterthought. Oh, and Carole Baskin definitely killed her husband.

• Have you had to reschedule a planned holiday?
• Did you do a virtual tour of a place that you want to visit?
• Have you debated with anyone who will listen about when international borders will open? 
• Are you hopeful that you will be able to travel by October 2020?
• Have you made your zoom background somewhere you want to holiday?
• Is your passport ready to be stamped as soon as travel restrictions lift?

Travel is Life

If you answered yes to these questions then you know that spending time away from people isn’t so bad, but not being able to travel has been torture. You work hard but you also play hard, and play for you means discovering and exploring a new country.

You take at least one overseas trip a year to go trekking or even just flop and drop. What’s more, travelling is what gives you energy and you can’t wait to recharge your batteries once the borders open, and you promise to never take it for granted again.

• Have you found yourself talking to the birds that fly into your garden?
• Have you forced yourself to wear make up and work clothes when you are WFH?
• Have you joined a random houseparty/zoom happy hour drinks?
• Have you found an excuse to go to the supermarket most days?
• Have you tried to recreate your favourite cafe’s signature brunch?
• Do you have plans to catch up with ALL of your friends in the coming weeks?

Normal Life is Life

If you are nodding your head yes to these questions then all you want is your old life back. You want to do brunch on Saturday morning with your bestie, then straight to afternoon drinks with your sister, followed by dinner with your partner. You miss your barista and your work colleagues (even the ones you didn’t think you would miss). Furthermore, you will look back at 2020 as a time you would rather forget. 

• Did you have to supervise your children during homeschooling?
• Have you had to meet your partner's work personality (and frankly aren’t quite sure how you feel about this person)
• Have you and your family survived isolation by watching ‘Bluey’?
• When you heard about a potential baby boom after isolation are you certain it is only for couples who don’t already have any children?
• Have you taught your children to wash their hands whilst singing Happy Birthday?

Family Is Life (whether you like it or not)

If you are too tired to nod your head yes to these questions then congratulations, you have survived isolation with a family. Nothing else you ever do will compare to the amount of patience and creativity you have summoned over the past two months. Indeed, if you and your family have gotten through this alive, you can handle anything. From the rest of us, we salute you.

Whether you breezed through isolation or missed your old life every single day, I think all of us now have a greater understanding of what we want our lives to look like.