by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa

If there is one thing this pandemic and subsequently this lockdown has confirmed, is that I am a TOTAL homebody! I am in my absolute element being at home.

Now I realise not everybody shares my excitement and sentiment, but I wanted to share with you my takings and observations regarding this crisis we find ourselves in. This has been the most devastating event of our current time. Many precious lives have been lost and we mourn those brave souls and pray for their families.

And besides the obvious loss of income and the upset of the economy, I think the worst thing for most people to deal with, was our unpreparedness at the sudden shock of the Corona Virus. We as humans have this absolute tendency to always want to be in control. When we are not in control of our circumstances, we panic and waiver, which is totally understandable. We build, we plan, we forecast. W make more money, buy more things, plan some more, and that is the right thing to do…or is it?

Well, if there is ONE thing this crisis has taught me…is that we are not in control. We can predict all we can, but we truly do not have the ability to foresee the future. However, there are a few sensible things we can do to cope with the crisis and sort of prepare for the uncertain future:

1. Change your outlook – For most of us, this has been the longest quiet-time period we have had, ever. It sort of reminds me of a sabbatical, but in many ways a forced one. We were literally called to a halt. “I’m just so busy”, “I just don’t have time”, “I’m so tired”, these were familiar phrases I myself used to utter, as I was dealing with the pressure of life and running my business. I have decided not to fight the lockdown, but see it as a lifeline. When I adopted this viewpoint, it totally changed my outlook on this crisis. Enjoy the time at home with your family. Build stronger bonds within your community of entrepreneurs and contacts through regular e-contact.

2. Know your WHY – Yes, we have had so much time to think about everything! This is the perfect time to soul search and ask your Creator why you are here! Too many people run around in circles and frantically jump on every money-making bandwagon. This is so unhealthy and although you might make a killing on selling the next best thing, it always comes at a price. Use this time to ask these pivotal questions – What is my purpose, and what should I be doing with my life? Knowing my WHY, has given me so much peace…amidst of the loss of income, I have total peace because I know who I am, and Whose I am and I trust that everything will work out for my good.

3. Make a list – I have downloaded countless templates for staying organized and focused, but I could never sustain them. Until I found the best and simplest system – an A4 sheet of paper and a permanent marker! ☺ In my most pressing times, when my mind is a warzone and I am overwhelmed with things to do, I literally sit down, breathe and make a list of all the things that pop in my head. In June 2016, after years living in Jozi, my husband and I prayed about moving back to Cape Town and we received our go-ahead. But with that, came many quick and urgent decisions. I remember a day when my husband was so overwhelmed that he nearly broke down. We were living in our container-build home and literally still had to break it apart and find quotations to have it moved. We had to find a school for our kids and the list goes on. I grabbed a piece of paper and a Koki and wrote down the most pressing things we first needed to attend to:

MOVE CONTAINER (from our location to train depot)

TRANSPORT CONTAINER (from Jozi to Cape Town)

SCHOOL (primary school for girls)

Immediately there was a sense of calm. I pasted it on the wall of his study where we could all see it. Now we could concentrate on the urgent matters first and it kept us focused.

I still practice this method today, and yes it’s quite elementary, but it works! I started another list in the first week of lockdown and I pasted in on my bedroom wall. Every evening and morning I see it and it reminds me of the things I need to be focusing on now.

4. Don’t be so hard on yourself - This ties in with the above-mentioned point. I consider it a productive day if I have completed at least one task on my scribbled to-do-list. This period of lockdown has given us the luxury of time. Block your time so you have time to work and rest. And it’s totally ok if you take days to only rest.

5. Be at peace – I have learned to accept that some things are out of my control and it is to my detriment to try and remedy it, especially if have no command over it. The Corona Virus has affected everybody and I have no means of controlling it. Yes, I have the power to try and prevent it from spreading, but I cannot stop it or wish it away.

This is a crucial time for us all. Many of us are reassessing our livelihoods and it’s a great time of uncertainty. My advice to you is to learn to ground yourself…find Who and what grounds you. If you find your grounding and foundation, nothing will be able to shake you!

Lizl Naude is the founder of Lilly Loompa in South Africa, a company that creates beautiful and usable products made with recycled material. Lilly Loompa's “Rubbish Range” is the result of Lizl's craving to deliver pieces that are completely "green". Lizl is a self-taught designer and initially started designing and making furniture because she couldn’t afford to buy new pieces to furnish her home. She started to scout and source for budget material and quickly realised that most people discard of very usable materials. The company manufactures a variety of products, from storage holders, lamps, to dinner table accessories, among others. All materials are carefully sourced from waste and sustainably reimagined as beautiful, yet purposeful products. Eco-friendly, handcrafted and 100% South African, each Lilly Loompa piece, once trash, is now a meaningful piece of treasure.