Coping with COVID-19: a ‘glass half-full’ reflection.

Well just when we thought the kick-off to 2020 couldn't have gotten much worse we have suffered the unwelcome arrival of COVID-19 taking over the world like an 80's armageddon blockbuster. I'm not going to down play the frightening long-term economic impact this will have on all businesses but given the volume of anxiety-building media available, I've chosen a more humurous glass-half-full rambling. In an attempt to enjoy some (and I mean SOME) of the benefits that self-isolation and working from home brings me I have collated my top 5 . COVID-19 'keeping me sane' benefits:

1. NO LONG HAUL COMMUTING
   Typically I drive to Melbourne each day in hideous peak-hour traffic and am typically filled with rage after the 1hr 50minute journey. Nope - not any more. For the unforeseeable future I will be enjoying the beautiful surrounds of my quiet surfcoast town in Victoria and will be partaking in regular beach walks and consumption of fresh coastal sea-breezes. Ok, so I know you may want to punch me now but seriously, most of the year you would empathise with my 18 hours of commuting a week so please, allow me this little gloat!

2. 'THE BLOCK' STYLE HOME RENO'S
   I’ve attached a few images of the things we have done this weekend to make our home working space more serene. We painted the walls of our bedroom a cosy Dulux Wentworth blue (once Bauhaus minimalist white) which seems to have really given a kick to our prints and plants. I am lucky enough to have two office spaces to use and this weekend we did a mini make-over on both of them so we can stay sane over the coming weeks and months (insert awkward emoji).

3. SIDE SPLITTING MEMES
   
If there is one positive I can take from the last few weeks is the sheer volume and quality of pant-wetting social media content in circulation. I have been saving up my favourites and have attached for your viewing pleasure (although no doubt you have seen them in high rotation anyway).

4. EL’NATURAL FACE AND BODYI
   I'm not one to conform to social norms for the sake of it and I do proudly call myself a feminist but at the ripe age of 44, I don't have the radiant skin I once did and do feel more human when I spruce up with a bit of make-up and actually blow-dry my hair (which is naturally mousey blonde and so thin my scalp is visible). The last week or so I have enjoyed my sans-make-up face and the frequency of my pyjama bottoms, yoga pants and leggings. I've even held multi-person Zoom meetings, news-reader styled with a blazer and black T on top complimented by over-stretched leggings and Uggboots down the bottom. This is genius and I am not ashamed of adorning this attire during Covid-19 times. I do fear this may become a habit hard to break but for now...

5. OUT OF THE WOODWORKS
   I have heard from more people over the past 2 weeks than I have in 2 years! It has made me feel loved and of importance which has been reassuring. Of course, it also promoted to think holy shit, I should called.... And reach out to.... And Skyped.... I have had more Vino Skype catch-ups than I ever thought was a thing and have my next week's diary fully scheduled too. I have never been so available to my friends and family and they are enjoying the luxury of me being in the one place ALL the time! Secretly I am feeling a littel suffocated but this is a half-glass-full piece so I will save my "dying inside" feelings for the next piece! 

6. TAKE-AWAY
   OK, I know I said top five but this is critically important,. All my favourite restaurants down in the surfcoast are now doing free delivery and hell, what sort of community-minded person would I be if I didn't support them and order copious amounts of Devonshire teas (not joking, I can do that now!), Italian, Japanese and Vietnamese? I have told my husband (who does 80% of the cooking) that it is our civic duty and therefore we must continue on this culinary path (insert wink and dancing girl emoji's). I am anticipating significant weight gain and bank account depletion but at least I will be content and helping other small businesses stay afloat! i have even taken to ordering duplicats of my meals for my parents and having these delivered to their door. This is a triple whammy - not only am I enjoying delicious restaurant quality food from my home, but I am supporting a local business and winning "daugher of the year" brownie points with my parents. Can't lose and will continue on this path until my funds are depleted.

So this is how I will be surviving, and I hope you are too. I don’t think I could go so far as to say it is business as usual but we are defiinitely living our Edison values and behaviours around AGILITY, COLLABORATION, COMMITMENT AND COURAGE.

Signing off with virtual toe-taps + elbow pumps!
Amber Bonney
Founder and Head of Strategy @Edison

A version of this article was published on the Creative Women's Circle website on 20th March 2020.