Mini-Ep 185: Easier Said Than Done

Quarantine Reflections

Reflecting on the one-year mark of quarantine, Kate Spencer and Doree Shafrir share their emotional responses and personal stories from the beginning of the pandemic. Kate recalls the abrupt changes that began on March 13, 2020, marking a clear start to the quarantine experience with her daughter's birthday and the closure of schools and attractions 1. Doree expresses a mix of grief and hope, acknowledging the loss of lives and the impact on the job market and housing, while also finding solace in the vaccination progress 1. She reflects on the complexity of processing grief, likening it to her experience with her mother's cancer diagnosis and passing 2.

I'm still processing the fact that she even had cancer, much less had died.

--- Doree Shafrir

Kate finds it surreal to read her one-line-a-day journal entries from the past year, highlighting the uncertainty and fear that permeated the early days of the pandemic 3.

   

Adapting to Change

Coping with the changes brought by the pandemic, Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer explore how routines and major life shifts have been managed. Doree shares her work-from-home setup, emphasizing the importance of ergonomic arrangements and noise-canceling headphones to maintain productivity and comfort 4. She also reflects on what brings her hope, such as the vaccination progress and the arrival of spring, which lifts her spirits 5.

The fragrant flowers are blooming. My backyard smells like orange blossom. That just gives me, like a lift.

--- Doree Shafrir

Kate discusses the importance of establishing routines, especially for partners working from home, to maintain a sense of normalcy and well-being 6.