Reflections on a difficult time

For nearly everyone, 2020 was a terrible year. From political discord to racial strife to the pandemic, it seemed to be one thing after another. For me, two years of consistent travel came to an abrupt end in March, as it became increasingly apparent that we would have to return to the US or risk becoming stuck in Europe. While that may not have been such a bad thing, there were several reasons it made sense for us to return. We flew into Newark and drove to my inlaws, expecting to spend a few weeks, maybe a month or two, until things settled down and we decided on a plan for the rest of the year. Six months later, still effectively in lockdown, we decided to head to Texas to spend some time near my family. A few weeks turned into nine glorious months in the Hill Country, where we eventually decided to buy land of our own. As of summer 2021, I find myself back on the east coast at my inlaws reflecting on all that has transpired over this period of time and what I've learned.

As someone who does not require a lot of social stimulation, I imagine that I had an easier time coping with the lockdowns and isolation than many. My wife and I have worked remotely for several years so there was effectively no interruption in our work lives. We were fortunate to have family that embraced us wholeheartedly so we had somewhere to live. Overall, we were incredibly lucky throughout the entire experience and I am thankful for that. That said, we found ourselves going stir-crazy like many others. It was dangerously easy to do nothing but work all day every day. I am the type of person who doesn't mind this, but over time it becomes monotonous and eventually leads to reduced productivity or burnout. Previously, travel provided a built-in counterweight to the challenges of working from home. During quarantine and lockdown where we often did not leave the house for a week or more at a time, I had to devise ways to find balance throughout the day. On days where my schedule permits, I try to take a break for lunch and eat away from my computer, ideally outdoors. I will take a 15-20 minute nap in the afternoon a few days a week if possible. I continue to exercise in the mornings, which I have done for years, but I have added an occasional afternoon walk. In Texas, having a backyard that was over 100 acres made this very easy. I also make sure to put my computer down at the end of the workday and not pick it up until the next morning for at least two or three days a week. It’s easy to start new habits or routines. It is much harder to incorporate them into your life in a meaningful, lasting way.

On the whole, humans have extremely short memories. Our ability to put difficult times behind us and focus on the future is incredible. Despite the fact that COVID continues to rage in certain parts of the world (and the country), I can already envision it fading into the past, becoming “that year where weddings were postponed and the business world realized that people could get more work done by not coming into an office every day.” If I learned anything during this period, it's that the sense of control we think we have over our own lives is tenuous. Things can change more quickly than we’d like to admit. What we can control, regardless of the situation, is how we respond. I may be stuck at home, but I can go for a walk outside. I may be on ten or more zoom calls in a day, but I can approach them with lightness and brevity. I can use the lack of distractions to focus and get a lot done.

The blur of time caused by the pandemic has been interesting to say the least. It feels like it went by incredibly slowly, yet its been a year and a half since things blew up in March 2020. I believe deeply that the key to a long life - the key to extending time, our most precious resource - is creating lots of diverse memories by doing things with the people you love. Time is condensed when you do the same thing every day. It bleeds together because you are not creating entries that take up a lot of space in your your mind. It is encouraging to see how many people have embraced the outdoors because of the pandemic, who are seeking adventure and doing things they may never have done otherwise. We must make the most of the time we have because we do not know how long that will be.