What is your proudest achievement since lockdown began?
Cutting my wife’s hair and surviving!
What is your greatest challenge at the moment?
Not eating too much chocolate.
How are you finding working from home?
I don’t miss all the travelling.
But it is tiring. Each day is very similar.
What have you learned about yourself during lockdown?
I discovered that I can still adapt and learn new skills.
In my case, I learnt how to edit videos, and also how much my garden keeps me sane (ish).
What will you miss the most about life in lockdown?
I will miss the lack of traffic.
I will also miss the ability to take on some household and garden projects, like building a pond.
What one piece of advice or lesson learned in lockdown would you share with members?
Try to live in the moment.
Focus on the positive, rather than overthinking all of the things that might go wrong.
John Rushforth is the Executive Secretary of the Committee of University Chairs.
And remember: no two lockdown experiences are the same. Sharing our experience is important for supporting staff wellbeing after lockdown, as well as our own mental health. You can explore other lockdown stories shared by AHUA members in our Life in Lockdown series.
