The unofficial next phase of the lockdown era begins. It’s called GCQ, where we’ll see the reintroduction of some of the working sectors back into the fold, albeit in a controlled manner. (EXPLAINER: What happens under general community quarantine?)

Hunker down. You’ve heard that before, but hunker down more because this is looking truly like the new normal, whereas the term seemed unreal when it all began. Now, with lockdown extensions and second waves in other countries happening, we’re truly going to have to learn how to co-exist with the virus – while the vaccine remains in the ether – and restart the wheels of industry. 

What you can do, at this time, is to plan your adjustments for the long term. You’ve settled into your own routine now, so now’s the time to just continue to polish that. Take stock of what you’ll need. For those working from home, and will continue to be working from home, continue to carve out that space in your house that’s reserved for work.

Your physical space really affects your mood, and you want your work nook or corner or, if you’re particularly well-off, your private study to get you into that working mindset. Help yourself. (READ: Work-from-home burnout? 4 ways to cope in lockdown)

Make an active effort to draw the line between work and your private life. No matter what the size of your space is, you can find a way to physically define where work happens and where rest and recreation do.

We’re also continuing to put out guides for you as we shift our mindset to the longer term.

If you’ve run out of masks, we have here a video for you on how to make a face mask, according to Alice Sarmiento, a former faculty at the University of the Philippines, Department of Clothing, Textiles, and Interior Design.

We hope you’ve been keeping active too, and shaking off the lethargy that’s so innate to the stay-at-home setup. To help you out, we’ve enlisted some pro help with 2016 Rio Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz’s strength and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo. It’s always fun to try out the routines of successful athletes, and maybe see how you measure up.

From the vlogging scene, mimiyuuuh also shares with us her own routine during the ECQ, while young freelance creatives also share their own plight during this time.

As we enter this new phase, it’s the story of us continuing to adapt, in our own ways, fighting to get a semblance of pre-coronavirus normalcy, and quite literally, fighting para sa ekonomiya. Be brave!

– Gelo