Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Coronavirus quarantine diary: morning routine


It's Tuesday of week 5, another sunny and gorgeous spring day that we don't deserve in the depths of April. I know the whole country isn't experiencing weather like this, but it feels like a reprieve for us here in the Pacific Northwest, who are used to many months of gloom and have done a good job getting ahead of this pandemic. Gold star from the universe?

My life is very different in detail, although not in character. I don't have to wake up to an alarm anymore, and so I sleep in about an hour later. I now wake up around 7am, when my alarm used to be set for 6:15 am and I would generally awaken before that on my own. 

I'm going to bed around the same time, maybe a little later, and feeling no guilt-- midnight-ish. Getting seven hours of sleep each night is a huge deal for me-- something I have never in my remembered life done consistently.

I lay in bed reading on my phone until Leif comes into our room. We cuddle. He leaves so that Erik and I can meditate for 10 minutes using the Headspace app. This morning we convinced him to stay and meditate with us, and we only go for 5 minutes. Having that bonus time with the family in bed is a treasure. I will miss it when this is over.

Generally around 8am we head downstairs one by one. I have already picked out my clothes the night before, so I do these repetitive mundane tasks (open windows/skylight, flush toilet, open doors) and head downstairs. Feed the cats, make my coffee. Brush my teeth and shower. At this point it's nearly 9am and I almost always have a meeting. I rush to get dressed and make food that I will try to finish before I'm on video.

It's a good morning routine, and it takes about the same amount on time as my old one. My reclaimed commute time is now extra sleep. And I'm still always late and run out of time on everything. Can't get it all done, but always think I can. The routine is different, but everything is the same