When I signed up to write for the Connector I was still in the honeymoon phase of this whole mess. I was working full-time, doing continuing education (and taking notes), facetiming friends, cleaning my house, and in general feeling like I was going to come through this thing well-rested and improved as a person.

Then I accidently started a TV show on Netflix, and I watched a couple of episodes, and I figured it would be better to just get the show over so I could go back to learning how to paint with watercolors. So, I finished it in two days. And, then some friends suggested a compelling documentary, that led to a rabbit hole for a couple of days, and then… well, you know.

Add all of that to the fact that here in Thailand, mid-February until who knows when, is the burning season, and the air quality here is considered “dangerous” most days, and well, staying inside is just the best choice.

Now the end of April is approaching and I am still deciding if this has become a Quarantine beard, or if I should trim it and go back to the “professional” look. 

But. I’m getting into a rhythm. Two days of imitating a bump on a log and then one day of getting stuff done and being a contributing member of society.

That doesn’t feel incredible to say, but you know what? It’s settling in and I’m okay with it. I’ve started to call it ‘Pandemic productivity.’

Pandemic productivity isn’t the gold standard, and no books will be written, nor will a new method for getting things done be developed. But, it’s working for me, for now.

I’m having conversations with people all over the world, cross-cultural workers who have requested online services from our counseling center during this time. It seems like a lot of our conversations end up around finding ways to be gentle with ourselves - letting go of plans, dreams, and expectations. I’ve heard myself say, several different times, “what if you just practice this until the worst of the pandemic is over?” I think most of us fight against being gentle with ourselves for too long. So, I’ve decided to try to follow my own advice and practice ‘pandemic gentleness.’

Pandemic gentleness isn’t the gold standard, and no books will be written, nor will a new method for being gentle with yourself be developed. But, it’s working for me, for now.

And so, over here in Thailand, we’re doing okay. And, in case you were wondering, today is a ‘bump-on-a-log’ kind of day. And that is feeling just fine.