What I Learned While Being Furloughed Due to COVID-19 by Bethany B. (@dreamgirlBA)

In March, my employer shut down. My husband was also one of several employees to get furloughed. Thanks to that, we both ended up at home for one and two months while our state was on an “essential business only” ban. In that time, we used stimulus funds for a major project we needed done around the house and I bought a Cricut the day I was furloughed (impulse I had been eyeing for a year). At that time, we figured I could take the time to work on my side business while my husband worked. 

He was furloughed a week later, both of us before the extended unemployment benefits started. I tried to keep the attitude of being on a vacation or taking a break from working as a way to keep my anxiety down and it worked. It felt more like a vacation. 

I started working on my Etsy while filling out job applications while my employer continued to pay me, but never heard back. When the Cares Act passed, we were able to relax. 

I got a book finished I was working on and started pushing it. Since it’s print on demand, every time I get some books in, they sell pretty quick on my Etsy. My Etsy also fell dead while the shutdowns were beginning so I had time to regroup and rethink. I used the Cricut and started making graphic tees and totes as well as started on my astrological line I was originally intending on making and it’s starting to sell now. 

In the time I was furloughed, I learned quite a bit. 

I did learn that finding time to work on my Etsy, Etsy creations and books helped me increase sales. Now that I’m back working, I’m trying to find extra writing time as well as trying to spend extra time working on candles and sewing projects. Even though we were both unemployed, we were able to make all our bills monthly and when he went back to work, we were completely caught up. 

I also saw how much of a dependence we all have on employers. Just missing work for a few months is crashing so many people—one income stream is not nearly good enough. Debt-free is also the way to go. How many people would end up homeless going a few months without a paycheck? How many would lose their car or end up with collections calling? There are some debts we absolutely need—but we don’t have to spend our lives in debt. It’s not going to be fun and at times may be a bit painful but we have worked out a plan to consolidate debts, froze our credit cards and are working on paying one loan payment off without racking up credit card debt. We will still have car/truck and mortgage but with an extra couple hundred a month, it will help and if this happens again, we will have less leaving every month to take the strain off. 

I also saw that running e-commerce is going to be the way to go—instead of working for someone who will lay you off or furlough you without pay or good benefits, e-com was doing better. 

With people staying home, they were shopping online and the big chain retailers with strong online apps and websites made it out better than the ones that still aren’t progressing. Online is the way of the future and brick and mortar chains need to get up to date so they won’t be run out of business. 

I learned where I waste time and what to do about it. After careful consideration, I decided I spent too much time on my Facebook and it did nothing but stress me out so I deleted it. By next week, my account should be no more. I started slowly deactivating and worked my way up to seeing that I would go on the site and compulsively scroll—and get annoyed. It no longer gave me anything productive and it killed the time I have had to be productive. I still have my business page linked to my husband’s account and otherwise, I’m spending all my time on Etsy that I would be spending on Facebook. Between Etsy and my blog, it’s generating more income than Facebook ever could. 

The last thing I have learned is that hanging out all the time with my kids, without us running all over—going to work, school and everywhere else was pretty fun. I’m looking forward to going back to somewhat normal when the school year begins and they want to be around other kids, but if I need to teach them at home, I now know I can. 

Now the worst is over, but I’m sure a second wave is going to come along with the schools opening. Those are a few of the things I learned that stood out while our state was on lockdown. I’m sure there are more ways I have changed. 

If you enjoyed this piece, please follow Bethany B. on Twitter @dreamgirlBA.

Quarantine Life by Sherrie Gonzalez (@sherrieberrie)

When asked what I learned from the experience of being quarantined, I would say the most important lesson I learned was how to change and adjust my entire life in a matter of months to feel sane and normal again. While I’m incredibly thankful to still have a job and be able to pay my bills during this time, simply being made to stay at home exposed every problem with my life decisions within the first week. This was now a time to address these problems head-on and quickly.    

1. How to connect with people without physically being in the same room 

I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve become very bad about reaching out to people but this is arguably the product of some awful friendships in my teens and early 20’s. We live in a time where you don’t really have to be that proactive anymore as social media has made it very easy to show acknowledgment and love of your friends without ever having to see them in person. Phone calls can be a huge time investment compared to leaving a comment on their Instagram post or shooting them a Facebook message. I also never really had to make plans because there was always a Facebook invite or the like in my inbox. Once the parties and bar nights were taken away, the loneliness kicks in instantly. You’re subjected to terrible Zoom happy hours where you can barely get a word in. I had to relearn the art of making phone calls or setting up one on one video chats. This was particularly great for reconnecting with my family who were already phone people. I also joined some virtual game nights and smaller video groups so I actually felt like I was socializing. I don’t know if I would say I’m better connected with people now compared to pre-COVID but I’m definitely more proactive.  

2. I didn’t need a gym to maintain my fitness

My initial panic set in the first week of lockdown when I couldn’t attend my CrossFit gym where I had not only made many friends but had peers to keep me accountable. My apartment sits at a cozy 250 sqft with about the space of a yoga mat left after furniture so I had to get creative and fast to do any activity. My coaches thankfully hosted Zoom workouts and lent us a piece of equipment for home to get us through while the city figured out reopening plans. The workouts were still very challenging if not repetitive and I managed to acquire a few more pieces to mix it up over the passing weeks. This meant a lot to me as going to the gym was such an important part of my day. It helped keep my sanity and offered the community I need in what can be a lonely city. While I still prefer in-person, I’m no longer fearful of having to do things myself anymore.  

3. I’ve been paying a lot more for lower quality of life

Upon moving to New York, friends warned me of the increased cost of living, many of which lived in Boston. Boston was not really any cheaper and salaries honestly paid worse so I figured I would take my chances. The huge bump in salary initially was amazing until I secured a more permanent living situation and settled into my new normal. I was living in an old brownstone that hadn’t been renovated in decades and the sidewalks were always trashed. I was catcalled walking to the train almost every day. The trains were a mess and constantly late. The stench of urine was inescapable but I dealt with these things for ‘the proximity’. I also could tell people ‘I live in Brooklyn’ which is a statement that gets a lot of oohs and ahhs depending on where you go thanks to all the amazing media that’s come out of the neighborhood.

These perks quickly became irrelevant once I was no longer able to travel or do any of the things you come to New York to do. It’s then I realized I was paying a premium to live in a dirty old shoebox with no outdoor space in a pretty dumpy part of town. I developed back issues from not having a proper desk to sit at due to space. I would go for walks to do errands or just get some air only to be even more aggressively catcalled and harassed by panhandlers while stepping over piles of discarded food and used condoms. Yet the days where I didn’t leave my apartment because of the weather were the worst. I felt so claustrophobic and miserable. The nail in the coffin was not being able to see the one thing that kept me tethered to living there, my friends. After seeing my coworkers and friends’ exodus from the city, I started to plan my own escape back to where my family lives in Rhode Island. It’s something I’ve actually wanted to do for some time now but couldn’t due to work. 

I initially only planned to stay the summer until I realized how much better everything was here. I could spend time with my family, including my young niece and nephew so I never felt lonely. Going for walks in Newport was pleasant, clean, and full of nice scenery. I had an outdoor space to work and workout. I could even start gardening! I was also able to reconnect with friends in the area. The beach was just a mile and a half away. I had also gained about 5 times the space for what would normally be the same price as what I was paying for my studio. Plus, it was still easy enough to get back to New York to see my friends. I could always rent a car or take the train down for the day. 

4. I thrive in routine and planning

Living in a city like New York keeps you on your toes. There’s something interesting happening every day and the FOMO is real. In the first few months of living there, I completely lost the routine I developed in the much slower paced Boston and no longer was consistently going to the gym or cooking at home. As a result, I gained about 50-60 lbs, developed plantar fasciitis, and wasted a lot of money on takeout. I also no longer valued my nights in and became irritable any night I didn’t have something going on. In all fairness, apartments in New York aren’t usually meant to be places you want to hang out in as they’re pretty cramped. 

I thankfully got my act together a few years ago, got my weight back down to normal, and settled into a new, very early routine. My life still felt very exciting though with happy hours, parties, shows, and impromptu travel plans to satisfy the more spontaneous aspect of my personality. When those were removed from the equation, there were big gaps in my week and I started to feel very lost and depressed. I had to spend time reconfiguring my schedule and finding new hobbies to fill that time. I started a meal service to encourage myself to cook new things every night. I planned out local walking or biking trips on my free days to see parts of the city I had never been to before. As time went on, I started to feel more normal again. 

5. My 5-year plan can be my 1-year plan  

Moving to New York was important to my career growth but detrimental to my savings growth. Still saddled with student debt and entering my 30’s, having roommates would have made the most sense but I just couldn’t do it anymore. After 10 years of dirty dishes, broken glasses, fights over the communal space, and not being allowed to have pets due to someone’s allergies, I was done. I managed to secure a very small but rent-stabilized studio in Bedstuy and it wasn’t much more than the shared options in the area. I took in a kitten from a friend and was basically living the dream I had wanted in Boston. Once I factored in utilities, increased prices on groceries, more frequently going out, gym memberships, etc., it started to add up. 

Most months I broke even and could really only make minimum payments on my debt. I always had enough to live the way I wanted but not much else. Once the pause was hit on basically all my expenses beyond my rent and groceries, all this money appeared. I was able to pay more towards my debts and set aside more. More recently, I was even able to cut my rent price down by striking a deal with my dad on staying in his condo in Rhode Island. I’m now on track to hopefully have a down payment on my own space by next year.  

While this has obviously been a difficult time in mine and many people’s lives full of lightning-fast change, there have been some bright spots and important lessons to take away. I’m incredibly grateful for all those who have helped me through and allowed me to use this as an opportunity to redirect my life’s course in a positive direction. Even though it’s not over, I’ve come out much stronger and better prepared for what’s next. (hopefully)

If you enjoyed this piece, please follow Sherrie Gonzalez on Twitter @sherrieberrie.

It's Not All About COVID-19 by Erin Robinson (@flossybunny)

Everyone across the world is talking about how messed up 2020 has been so far. Mostly because of coronavirus (COVID-19). Mostly because they have had to quarantine for the first time in their lives. Everyone has been impacted in one way or another, but it's not why my 2020 has been hit hard. 

In January, when COVID-19 in the UK was a muttered swirl of speculation, I sent my Dad a photo of my son. It was the evening of January 5th and he was playing in a pop-up tent he'd been given for Christmas. I snapped the pic and immediately sent it off to my son's favourite person in the world—his Papa. There was nothing different about that evening, except it would be the last. 

On January 6th my Dad died. It was sudden, brutal, and traumatic. For him, it was likely very peaceful, but for my Mum and sister who tried to save him—for all of us who stood in the hallway waiting for the paramedics to save him…it was surreal. He stopped breathing. His heart stopped. He died. My 2020 was done from that moment onwards. 

As a family, our quarantine experience has been infused with grief and mourning for someone we loved. We had to make quarantine decisions that other people likely didn't have to make. Would my Mum manage for weeks or months on her own? Would I manage in that scenario? In the end, we all piled into my Mum's house and locked down together. Except we were not together—we were a family member down and, for the first time, we were facing the world as a new unit. 

In March and April we would comment to each other on how many days or weeks it had been since Dad died. We would look over at the far side of the living room where he passed, and we would feel the absence. We were locked in with our grief. There was no escaping it - we couldn't meet people for distractions; or go out for the day; or visit his grave. Processing grief in those conditions has been impossible and it feels like only now have we come out of denial. 

But it's not all bleak. We were given a break from the outside world for a while where we could sit with our loss. Quarantine provided us with time together as a family. We made memories. We celebrated birthdays over Facetime, dropped a makeshift Easter card through a friend's door, sunbathed in the garden, and consumed more apple pie than is socially acceptable. Yes, we grieved—we still are—but we also adapted to what our family looks like now. Quarantine gave us time that we never would have had. 

I learned that those moments of quality with people I love are irreplaceable. They could be taken any minute. Quarantine has been hard for many, but I continue to remind myself that I have been given time I normally never have. I can enjoy being at home. My local area has never felt more appealing. There are parks to walk around, TV shows to binge, snacks to be indulged in, toys to be played with, and lazy days to thrive in. I've not had to pass acquaintances in the street and tell them "I'm fine," when I'm not. That time is now ending, but I can slowly emerge from quarantine with a stronger soul. 

If you enjoyed this piece, please follow Erin Robinson on Twitter @flossybunny.