Here’s some fun and hopeful tips and tricks the #EnemyOfAverage has found helpful the past week. For though we’re apart, we still work right alongside one another.

– Remember that you are not alone. Though there’s a social distance, there is no distance or divide between us. And though we’re apart in our separate quarantines, we were never more together.

– Routine can be your best friend. Break your day into blocks to stay on task and keep your internal momentum going. Not only is it a source of structure and productivity: it’s a source of relief. For instance, at MACLYN, we’ve begun every morning with a virtual status meeting at 8:30 sharp: everyone checks in via webcam, wearing increasingly funny hats and outfits, and showing off their many cute pets.

 

– As good as a set schedule can be, it’s also helpful to embrace the change and roll with the punches. As we work to serve our clients, everyone’s been encouraged to chat and check in on one another through Zoom or Teams: this change of pace has actually shaken up our process and stimulated a whole wave of creativity. These impromptu virtual brainstorms have already been the genesis of many ideas we’re ecstatic to show our clients.

– We all know the CDC 20 second handwashing protocol, but Happy Birthday gets old real fast. Instead, sing the chorus of any of the following: “Mr. Brightside”, “Love On Top”, “Raspberry Beret”, “Truth Hurts”, “Landslide”, “Stayin’ Alive”, “My Sharona”, “This Land Is Your Land”, and of course, “Africa” by Toto.

 

 

– Before you stop for scheduled handwashing/jam sessions, periodically stop and do some pushups, planks, sit-ups, or stretches to clear mental cobwebs and supercharge your self-esteem. (Hemsworth brother bod, here we come!)

– Remember all those things you always said you’d do if you had unlimited time? Don’t worry, the crisis has totally called us out, too. You’ll find unexpected new hobbies instead.

– Begin training a raccoon. Name him Bandit.

 

 

– Portion out your snacks so that you don’t take more than you need: your fellow workers (and your waistline) will thank you. Save some for Bandit – hint, he loves peanut butter.

– Keep a journal of gratitude. As overwhelming as the world can feel on any given day – especially now – things are never as bleak as they seem.

– We’ll all be fighting cabin fever, so we can ward off the worry together. Keep in touch with friends and acquaintances alike. Share threads where people can add new music, photos of places you want to go after the crisis is over, books to read, TV shows to watch, comic books to tear through – there’s so much joy and hope to be had!

 

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– In the darkest times, we turn to art and entertainment. If you have the means, consider donating to artists or affiliate organizations, the ones hurting right now, who all made that hope possible.

– Also be sure to support local restaurants and businesses, hit equally hard. We always strive to create communities, but there’s been one around us all along.

– If you’ve kept up with the training regiment, by now Bandit should be able to do flips. Give him pets. He has done well. You are proud.

– The weather’s wonky, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve fresh air. Go for a quick stroll or jog, as long as you keep your distance from others. A walk in the morning can even simulate a commute and help you start your day! And while you work, leave your window open.

 

 

– You wake in the middle of the night hearing strange noises. Hrm, you left the window open. Who told you to do that? You’re shocked: a gaze of raccoons (yes, that’s the collective name for a group of raccoons, fight us) is raiding your kitchen. With the flick of the light switch they scream and scurry away, loudly hissing and scratching your new hardwood floors. Bandit sits frozen on the spot, friendship bracelet around his paw. Your heart breaks at his sudden but inevitable betrayal. “Bandit!” you sob. “How could you!” Your furry frenemy is transfixed, torn between his duty to his gaze, and his affection for you. He utters a single chitter that you swear means “I will always love you”, and backflips out the window. You’re left to pick up the crumbs.

– Vacuum your rug.

 

 

What have you found helpful as you work through these wild times? Leave us a comment! If ever there was a time we were truly all in this together, now is that time. We don’t dive into despair. We defy the doom. And we stand together until we can stand side by side once more. When the chips are down, humanity shows its true face. It’s your face. And we hope it’s able to wear a smile soon.

Cheers,
The #EnemyOfAverage

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