Turns out that even the lockdown couldn’t put a damper on the dotsure.co.za family’s energy and positive vibes! Here’s how our staff stayed motivated during lockdown – you’d be surprised how well they’ve been coping! We couldn’t be more proud of our #dreamteam. 😊
- Gregory Goosen – Account Handler
Gregory Goosen, also jokingly referred to as “Goose” in the office, says that his lockdown started off quite well with early morning yoga. Unfortunately this routine only lasted for about a week before his downward dog poses were replaced with a few extra minutes of much-needed sleep (no judgment here, “Goose” 😉). The rest of his planned lockdown routine however remains on track. He enjoys spending some quality time with his wife and daughter, and even managed to master the art of Easter egg-hunting, brewing and cooking ‘egg-cellent’ meals. Here’s what he said about these quite interesting lockdown activities:
The Easter egg hunt…
“My daughter, April, had no idea what was going on, but she knew there was chocolate in those wrappers and really enjoyed running around looking for them.”
Apple cider brewery…
“I brewed several batches of apple cider. Which if done correctly is pretty tasty 😉 Ps. Keep it outdoors”
“We bought an Ostrich egg!...
While in lockdown we really have been stretching our culinary skills – and when we saw an ostrich egg in a store, we had to cook it!”
“It has been a challenging couple of weeks, but when things get tough – I take a deep breath and look at the mountain. Ground myself – and keep going!”, says Goose.
2. Charne Roux – Account Handler
Charne says that she started the lockdown with high hopes of waking up at 5 am to run a few laps around the house – but the snooze button pushed her away from her fitness dreams. Instead she made coffee runs to the kettle and back. GO Charne!
She assists dotsure.co.za clients from home and says she misses being with the rest of the dotsure.co.za team, but is still grateful that she had such an amazing workplace to miss. “I missed laughing with my colleagues and getting the job done. But I have challenged myself to slow down a bit and take things step-by-step and doing the things I enjoy.”, says Charne.
During lockdown Charne has kept herself entertained after work by reading a book, The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life. She also makes time to soak up some sun for at least 30 minutes a day, exercises for at least an hour a day, plays hide-and-seek with her dogs and spends quality-time with her boyfriend.
“At the end of every day, I write in my ‘Gratitude journal’. So basically, I write 3 things that I am grateful for on that specific day which really helps to keep a smile on my face and my attitude positive.”, Charne explains.
“There is no point in stressing over things we cannot control. For the time being, allow yourself to feel the emotions that you want to feel, but don’t dwell in the negative emotions for too long. You need to challenge yourself to control the way you are responding to what is happening. That is where the power is.”, says Charne.
3. Thabo Mabunda – Pet Sales Consultant
Thabo Mabunda kept the dotsure.co.za boat afloat by going to the office and proudly serving customers during lockdown. “With the current lockdown, it has been pretty hard staying on your toes and ensuring maximum mental activity. Luckily, dotsure.co.za was able to keep its doors open to assist our clients and beloved fur babies”, says Thabo.
Thabo also managed to stay active after work by taking daily 30-minute walks around his complex (he now knows exactly how many bricks are in the building).😉 Except for looking after his physical health, he also invested in his mental health: “I can proudly say I have managed to entirely read The Animal Farm for the third time and a few pages of the Harry Potter series and it still freaks me out.”, says Thabo.
“Being able to come into work on a daily basis and leave knowing that I have helped a few clients and their pets has however been the most important highlight for me and I can safely say, I am proud to be an ‘essential worker’. I hope you and your little ones have been having a blast this lockdown and I am sure our fur babies can’t wait to roam freely again.”, says Thabo.
4. Alexis Nel – Pet Sales Consultant
Alexis Nel experienced the joys of being a pet mom during the lockdown period. She fostered an 8-week old shelter puppy, which kept her on her toes. “It’s basically what I imagine having kids would be like because she kept me very busy. The sad part was handing her over to new owners but luckily, she found a fur-ever home and did not have to go back to the shelter.”, says Alexis. Aww, how sweet!
Alexis also served dotsure.co.za clients from home during lockdown. She enjoyed being in contact with clients and her colleagues, because it made life seem more normal.
She spent her time at home wisely and did not allow her emotions to drag her down. “I did a lot of reading, baking and also some home workouts to keep myself and my mind occupied. I also watched all the Harry Potter movies, that definitely killed a good amount of time”, says Alexis.
5. Carla Jooste – Pet Sales Consultant
Carla Jooste didn’t fall into the ‘roll-out-of-the-bed-into-the-office’ trap. Despite having to work from home and missing her colleges, she stuck to her normal routine and still managed to get the job done ‘purr-fectly’! Pyjama days are made for weekends!
“What really helped me at home was being around my own fur kids.”, says Carla. “I had to rush one of them to the vet during lockdown and coming home with the vet bill made me realise again just how important is it to have pet insurance.” We couldn’t agree more! #wellsaid
6. Bernard van Biljon – Pet Sales Consultant
Bernard van Biljon, also informally referred to as Bernie Mac in the office 😉, spent his lockdown time wisely. Self-reflection through journaling, and realizing that every day is a blessing, carried him through the challenging period. Bernard says that a special friend helped him realise that there is more to life than material gain and that waking up every morning is a blessing in itself. #toblessedtobestressed
Bernie started lockdown at home with some much-needed me-time and rest. “I played games on my XBOX and hopped on the trend of the ‘House Party’ app.”, he says. He also took the time to journal by pinning his thoughts and feelings to paper, because he believes that by putting your subconscious thoughts down to paper is a good starting point for self-reflection and personal growth.
Bernard also joined the TikTok trend and enjoyed regular Facetime sessions with a very close friend which further helped him keep a positive mindset. “I stayed in a routine of waking up at 05:00 every morning and going to bed early as you know a habit develops in 21 days. I made little videos on what I love about myself, stating what I am grateful for and what I love about my special person.” All of this allowed him an opportunity to take control of negative thought patterns and unnecessary overthinking.
As proud members of the dotsure.co.za team, we continue to stay mentally strong and positive during lockdown by reaching out to, and having regular contact with, our network of colleagues (or work friends if you will 😉). In a sense we’re really sticking together (virtually) even though we’re apart for the time being. We also encourage everyone to get involved and reach out a helping hand to those in need in our communities.
Stay strong and keep on keeping on!
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