There is no one way: a collection of reflections, routines and advice for creative life in a pandemic

A routine collage

Words by Madeleine Dore

There is no one way to navigate a pandemic. For some people, nothing much has changed. For others, daily life is unrecognisable. Some people have had cancelled trips or plans to move overseas. Some have lost work, gigs, jobs, livelihoods. Some have picked up unexpected work. Some are pulling children out of school and day care. Some have more time. Some have less time. Some are working remotely from home in makeshift offices. Some are juggling home schooling. Some are alone. Some are seeing this as a sabbatical. Some are unwell. Some are grieving.

I wanted to showcase those differences, because that’s where I think we often find connection, empathy, solace, and comfort. So a few weeks ago I put out an open survey for you to share your experiences of this time. Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing your reflections, your fears, your advice, your struggles, and even your delights – it’s created what I hope is a rich resource and picture of creativity in times of COVID-19

Bringing together over 60 difference perspectives – from dozens of listeners and  more than thirty artists and creatives I’ve previously interviewed – you can hear how other people are coping, their routines and their ruts, and maybe feel less alone in your own.

This slice of creative life in these times, shows so much feeling. We are confused, we are elated, we are sad, we are distracted, we are fighting, we are unsure, we are unproductive, we are motivated, we are uncertain, we are hopeful.  We feel tired, anxious, guilty, bored, less focussed, like there isn’t anything to look forward to. There is a sense of hopelessness, of shock, of fear and collective grief, but also moments of joy and appreciation.

We have mixed feelings. We have shifting feelings. But the resounding message is there is no one way to feel, to navigate, to adjust or to cope.

““It’s like that quote – we’re not all in the same boat, we are in the same storm but we are in very different boats.”

– Bethany Simons ”

Show notes

 04:32

Mari Andrew – Many people are feeling confused at this difficult time. Mari speaks about what her expectations were when this all started, what her reality is like now, and how there’s no pressure to be creative or introspective while this is going on.

07:04

Frida Las Vegas – Right now, everybody is collectively grieving for our loss of freedom and our general unhappiness for our current situation. Give yourself some slack, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

10:38

Bethany Simons – While we’re all experiencing the same situation, everybody is experiencing it in a different way. Don’t compare yourself to others, but instead focus on how you feel and what you need to get through it.

13:09

Anu Kumar – Living situations have temporarily changed for many people, including the need to move back home and live with parents for the first time in a long time. It’s easy to fall into old habits, so it’s important to navigate and compromise going forwards.

15:43

Shannyn Higgins – Allow yourself to take a staycation and take some time off if you need it. Work on personal projects or things that you may not usually have time for due to other commitments such as work. 

17:12

Sarah Nargorcka (Gorkie) – Nature and spending time in the outdoors can often accidentally be pushed aside with a regular, bustling lifestyle. Gorkie speaks about living on and helping out on a farm during this time, and how she is appreciating the outdoors again. It’s also given her time to reflect on her regular life and her regular job.

19:25

Gabrielle Tozer – Grief from a loss of opportunities and a loss of purpose can create fogginess and exhaustion. Try to find an anchor or something that you can focus on to pull you through it.

21:19

Julia Busuttil Nishimura – Making online cooking videos is something that Julia has managed to avoid in the past, but now it’s the only way that she can continue to do what she loves. If you’re restricted from your usual routine, try to shift the focus and find another way that you can achieve it. 

24:35

Matthew Henry – While it’s easy to feel tension and a loss of control during times like this, it’s important to focus on the things that you do have control of instead of getting worried about the things that you don’t.

26:57

Neha Kale – Freelancers often feel pressure to constantly create and to constantly be busy in order to feel like they’re being productive. During times like this, it’s important to take a step back from this, find the smaller joys in life, and be grateful for what you do have. 

28:45

Judith Lucy – Everybody is experiencing this pandemic in their own way. It’s okay if you don’t learn to bake or if you don’t learn a new language. It’s okay if you ‘only’ come out on the other side with being in your right mind. Don’t beat yourself up and don’t put pressure on yourself.

34:39

Frankie Ratford – Be honest to your clients during this time. Let them know your situation if you’re struggling, and they will likely continue to support you and empathise with you. Let them see the real you.

35:58

Tai Snaith – Creativity needs space, so try to find that space within your new routine. Don’t be afraid to use your creativity in other aspects of your life, such as in the garden or while cooking, and you never know when inspiration will strike while you’re doing these other activities. 

38:43

Carly Findlay – Use this time to find new opportunities and to rediscover daily delights, such as exercising or playing, but don’t beat yourself up if you’re not being productive. Take it one day at a time.

42:04

Mark Lobo – Write lists of daily tasks to help maintain a sense of control on your life. Ticking these off throughout the day will give you a sense of accomplishment and achievement.

43:21

Ebony Bizys – Break larger goals into smaller achievable goals that can be accomplished on a daily basis. 

44:26

Gabrielle Tozer – Similarly, Gabrielle speaks about breaking tasks down and focusing on what needs to be done next, rather than looking too far ahead. 

45:15

Honor Eastly – Rather than a to-do list, create a not-to-do list to help stay away from things that may be a bad habit. Whether it’s avoiding the television or websites that can make you lose track of time, set yourself a time limit for how long to avoid them for and do something more meaningful instead.

46:25

Spencer Harrison – Adapt your environment and adapt your practice so you can continue being creative. Look towards your surroundings for inspiration and focus on the things that are in front of you right now.

48:02

Mama Alto – If you’re in a fortunate position with work during this time, look to help others who may not be so lucky. Help comes in various forms and can be as little as sharing a link or some information and can be as big as offering paid work if you can. 

51:35

Honor Eastly – For someone who has limitations due to having health problems, Honor feels like she is on the same page as the others around her for the first time. Even so, she states that we all have capacity and there’s only so much that you can do in any given time.

55:05

Frankie Valentine – A difficult pregnancy had Frankie used to living in isolation before restrictions were put in place. She was already trying to focus more on her writing over performing, but also understands that being creative doesn’t always come easily during a time like this.

58:15

Melanie Stapleton – Look at this time as being a long service leave from work and enjoy it while you can. Many freelancers don’t give themselves time off, never mind this much time, so use it to your advantage by slowing down and focusing on other things. 

1:00:13

Chaz Hutton – Guilt can often be felt when you procrastinate or when you’re not being productive, but during this time Chaz isn’t feeling this guilt. He’s enjoying the slower pace of life and doesn’t feel bad about it.

1:02:03

Frances Haysey – Take the time for small, everyday rituals. Whether it’s meditating, lighting a candle, or having a bath, make sure you take the time during each day to do whatever it is that makes you feel calm, relaxed, and happy.

1:04:46

Tess McCabe – Experiment with different habits and see how they make you feel emotionally. It can be simple things such as when you get dressed or what music you listen to. Use this space and these moments of calm to see what habits affect you the most and which ones you enjoy.

1:08:01

Amrita Hepi – Community connections is what provided Amrita with a sense of productivity in the past, and she’s now finding it difficult without having that readily available to her. As a substitute, she’s now having conversations with people in her head, just to be able to socialise with somebody in a sentimental and meaningful way.

1:11:05

Juliet Sulejmani – With so many restrictions, it’s important to find substitutions for the things that we love to do. One example of this is using Google Maps to ‘travel’ the world and ‘walk’ the streets of other cities and countries.

1:12:22

Melanie Knight – Once this pandemic is over, things will have changed, and we need to be as ready as we can be. In the meantime, take a step back and enjoy the little things in life until that time comes.

1:13:32

Lorelei Vashti – It’s always important to have ‘me’ time, but it’s even more important now. Try to find pockets of time or create them if you can’t find them. Lorelei suggests having time away from the kids for a few hours on a weekend to do whatever you want to do (within social distancing rules, of course).

1:15:00

James Lemon – Slow down and turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Whether it’s pending more time with your pets, reconnecting with people, reading a book, cooking, taking a bath, or whatever else you may enjoy doing, make sure you take the time to step back and enjoy these simple moments.

1:19:10

Amrita Hepi – Appreciate the small things in life, such as flying a kite. You can be socially distanced, you can be within the public realm, and it gets you moving. Try to find activities that gets you out of your head and that keep you active.

1:19:51

Sarah Firth – Make sure that you’re getting out of the house, for both your physical health and your mental health. This will allow your mind to clear, and you can let it wander as you take in everything around you. Sarah was coined these as being ‘state of emergency walks’.

1:23:14

Prue Aja – In regular life, people carry a lot of weight on their shoulders. Diaries are often jampacked with never-ending to-do lists and it’s a lot to cope with. Right now, we’re able to shed those layers and let go of them, and we’re able to focus on the smaller joys in life that we may have forgotten about.

1:24:01

Peter Drew – We’re all in this together. We all share the responsibility and we all have the same anxieties, and hopefully that will make us better in the long run.

Guest links

A very special thank you to each of you who shared your experiences and advice in the survey – you made this slice of creative life possible.

Alongside your written responses, featured in this episode in order of appearance: 

Routines & Ruts podcast is produced and edited by Madeleine Dore using Hindenburg.
Special thanks to Nelson Dore for the theme music and Ellen Porteus for the cover art.

Madeleine Dore