Reflecting, Adapting, and Strengthening
MARCH 20, 2020It is May 20 and we are now more than two months into quarantine, working from home. The world is cautiously optimistic about its “re-opening” while still navigating the Coronavirus pandemic. And Angie Schaefer, Assistant Medical Editor at AlphaBioCom, shares how her restricted quarters have paved ways for growth so she may run safely into the new world.
Angie’s at-home experience has been a time of reflection. The slower pace, absent of previous social activities, has opened up valuable time for Angie to consider what is important to her, what she wants to change, and what skills she plans to acquire. These are beautiful things to consider in life.
This peaceful place of awareness was fueled by Angie’s passion for coffee, which she now enjoys regularly with her French press at her side throughout the day. Other than her work, Angie embraces the quiet to disconnect from a virtual world. She fills her time with a new commitment to running — an activity she wanted to strengthen after struggling as part of the company’s team in the in Philadelphia Half-Marathon in November. Angie set her course by adding 3 to 4 runs a week and is now successfully up to 50 total miles since the start of her shelter-at-home. What an accomplishment and testament to perseverance. Congratulations, Angie!
Run Angie run. Philadelphia half marathon finisher.
A room with a view. Angie at home enjoying the sunlight.
Angie needed to stay active to balance her work/life environment. Her tiny one-bedroom apartment makes it a challenge to set up a dedicated office, so she bounces around between her kitchen counter and coffee table to nestle in wherever is comfortable and quiet. She does not have a balcony or patio and her building’s community areas are closed, so fortunately, Angie has been soaking up the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows of her living room when she is not outside enjoying her free time and open running space.
Open space. Exploring the great outdoors during quarantine.
While in her apartment, Angie has had to adapt her lifestyle to stay focused on work. “It is hard to sit next to your kitchen sink and not think about doing the dishes from lunch,” she says. Therefore, Angie has been more diligent about day-to-day chores to remove distractions. A good lesson in many ways as life is filled with interruptions.
Angie said misses the people at AlphaBioCom the most. She misses joking with Craig throughout the day and eating lunch with her colleagues. She looks forward to returning to a structured office setup and her stand-up desk. Definitely a better option for the posture of a runner.
Team AlphaBioCom. Angie and her colleagues race together.
However, Angie appreciates the extra time at home. Without the commute and morning preparation for the office, Angie has more personal time in her day. But when the quarantine is safely lifted and our area is officially in the “Green” zone, Angie is ready to go dancing or to a concert with friends. “I miss the energy of being in the city and enjoying great music with great people.” Yes, Angie, we agree! The time to dance with friends is ahead.