We’re now basically in lockdown and the coronavirus pandemic has led to a way of life that most of us could never have imagined.
Millions of people now working from home, socialising is cancelled and you can’t even leave the house to see other family members.
Some people are described as more vulnerable people, including people over 70, people living with underlying health conditions and pregnant women.
Those who are due to give birth face a complicated situation as they have been advised to stay inside and things like who can be with them at the birth are restricted.
Today, we’re will Jade Beddington, 30, from Gloucestershire, who is currently 34 weeks pregnant.
Jade is head of new business and strategy at communications agency, Radioactive PR and is working from home while she self-isolates.
This was how she spent Friday 20 March. Since writing her diary, her builder husband has stopped work and she says the situation continues to change every day.
6 am
I wake up early every day with my husband, who is a self-employed builder. Luckily, he’s still working until further notice.
I shower, get dressed and put some mascara on. I think even with staying at home it’s important to keep a routine – I don’t think it would make me feel good staying in my pyjamas all day.
We’re down to the last few slices of bread so I have porridge – hubby doesn’t eat anything else than toast for breakfast.
I’m feeling much better today. I’ve felt positive and calm all week about the situation we’re in, but last night I had an emotional five minutes when we were trying to order an online click and collect shop, while thinking about what things I need for the baby.
People are panic buying formula and nappies, making it more difficult to prepare for a new arrival. The uncertainty got to me last night. But today is a new day! Lots of people are in the same boat – others worse so.
7 am
After my husband leaves for work, I hoover the house and clean the kitchen. Again, trying to keep a routine.
8 am
Sat at my desk with a cup of tea in my makeshift dining room office. I chat with the team on our WhatsApp group while we work from home.
I also finish off a blog about the importance of media training in a crisis as there will be loads of organisations giving media interviews during the pandemic.
It’s been very busy this week while we help our clients navigate through this strange time.
We’ve also been seeing what we can do to support the business community, so we’re offering free comms advice sessions via Google Hangout to any company who might be concerned about how they communicate with their audiences at the moment.
9 am
I work until 9.30 am then walk to my midwife appointment at the village surgery, which is deadly quiet.
My midwife has been great in reassuring me – the people who work for the NHS are truly amazing.
11 am
I’m back at my desk working on blog content, while I snack on fruit. Mum and baby need those vitamins.
12 pm
We have our daily team Google Hangout to talk through client priorities and anything from my side about new business for the agency.
It’s so nice to see everyone face to face while working from home, certainly helps with cabin fever.
1 pm
Lunch is leftover spaghetti carbonara that I made for dinner last night – we’re one of the lucky households that had some eggs and spaghetti spare. I eat lunch while I work.
2 pm
I have a call with a past client to talk about a possible new PR project that could work while everyone is self-isolating/social distancing.
There are still ways we can be creative with clients and offer our support while the whole world goes through (hopefully) this once in a lifetime experience.
We spend the first 10 minutes chatting about how coronavirus has affected us. He’s had to cancel his wedding.
3 pm
I’ve promised myself I’ll go on one solo walk a day to get some fresh air and exercise, which I usually do at lunchtime but was later today. I head on 20 min walk around my village while I call the health visitor back.
The health visitor would usually visit homes of expectant parents but they’ve had to stop that for now and will visit once the baby has arrived.
Again I’m reminded that the NHS support I’ve had throughout my pregnancy has been amazing – and it still is even in the middle of a crisis.
4 pm
Another cup of tea and client call to discuss a potential project, which they want to roll out almost immediately.
Promising that the work is still filtering through. It’s a very challenging time for most businesses, and no less for those in the PR industry.
5 pm
Finished off my work and one of my colleagues tells me that they were planning a surprise office baby shower for me and sends me a picture of the lovely gifts they’ve bought, which is honestly so lovely of them.
It might be a while until I see them or anyone meets the baby. We joked that we should have a virtual baby shower.
6 pm
Played on the Sims, a game which belongs to my stepdaughter. I’ve not seen my two stepdaughters for a fortnight as they’ve been ill and staying home with their mum.
I also messaged both stepdaughters, as it was their final day of school. The eldest is worried as her GCSEs have been cancelled – so I did the step-motherly thing and reassured her, even though I’m as much I’m in the dark as much as everyone else.
7 pm
Hubby comes home with a huge food shop of mainly frozen food – and a Chinese takeaway. He managed to get bread, but hardly any fresh meat, and definitely no toilet roll or pasta.
We’ve decided it’s best he does all the food shopping so I can avoid going to the supermarket for as long as we need to.
8 pm
We watch TV for the next few hours – including a re-run of the BBC’s ‘Would I Lie to You?’ I plan to watch a LOT of comedy over the next few weeks.
Both of us are on social media looking at different #CoronaCrisis posts – until I fall asleep with the cat on the sofa.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/25/quarantine-routine-2-12451591/?ITO=squid
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