December 14,

All day I’ve been feeling tense, it’s almost impossible to help but tighten measures. Infections have continued to rise alarmingly for days. This can’t go on like this, everyone feels. Around one o’clock, there will be an additional newscast announcing the new restrictions. Schools closed again, and now the stores too. How is the care, our day care? I’m searching around, but can’t find anything about it yet.

Whether you agree with it or not, you have to deal with it. The division is huge, look on social media and everyone is shouting something. I feel paralyzed, and little comes out of my hands anymore. There must be another battle plan, yet another, because for months we have been devising battle plans. The box of tricks cannot be empty yet, it must not be! We must again put our shoulders to the wheel and appeal to the flexibility of our colleagues. Christmas is just around the corner, the mail already has huge delays, and to top it off, we are waiting for a part for one of our machines that is now forced to sit idle.

Sytze enters the office swearing, what a shitty mess again…. Meanwhile, one of our day care participants is upset, and colleagues also come in with questions along the lines of ” what about us?” should we go back to work at home?

I’m not a psychic, I don’t know yet either. First, just wait and see what else comes out during the day. The apps are pouring in, Mom school is closing! We are being taught online again. What about the students who intern with us? What are the MBOs and HBOs saying? And all those stores that can’t get rid of entire Christmas collections, all those clothing stores … garden centers with hundreds of Christmas trees … It’s almost incalculable, another swipe at the middle class. Desperate messages pass by, as well as entrepreneurs who immediately come up with playful actions. I find it handsome and admirable. I myself haven’t reached that point yet, I need to let it sink in first.

I do notice that the stretch is a bit off, it’s the end of the year, and the past few months have been hectic enough. First just a cup of coffee, and the flow of thought resumes. What can we think of? I just start with a blank sheet of paper and begin to write. How can we ensure that we continue to connect our target audiences to us during this period.

Once we got home, we wolfed down dinner with little taste, waiting for the press conference. I was annoyed blue at the whistling and cheering in the background. I think it’s antisocial, whatever your point of view, you don’t do this. There are other ways to make your voice heard.

Meanwhile, Brent comes home from his last soccer practice for now; he is especially sad that Christmas dinner is off. I was so looking forward to it mom! And the little harbor is that going to close again too? (youth shelter) Yes dear, everything is going to be locked again for now…. We are not allowed to do anything anymore either! No fireworks, no Christmas dinner at school and already no Christmas together. I know honey, it’s not fun either. I feel sorry for the youth, they are already compromising so much. Elise is especially concerned about whether the Welkoop will remain open? After all, where else do we get horse pellets and sawdust? Everyone in our family has their own concerns.

I make a pot of tea and whip open the laptop, in our Fabryk app group the messages pour in. In our marketing group, the ideas are coming together. I am proud of my girls, even at night they still put in the effort to brainstorm with each other. I feel empowered by this and am getting back on track myself. Come on Es, you’ve been in front of hot fires before, again we’re going to fix it together. The first lines are set out and things to do are written.

Tomorrow morning we will meet to discuss the battle plan 2.0. Because no workshops and no stores ordering again requires a lot of creative ideas and flexibility from our team. I keep faith, faith in a good outcome of the virus and faith in a bright future of Fabryk Design and FBRK-Werkt.

Because the only thing you can change about this situation is how you handle it yourself. Tell me, how do you deal with these drastic measures?

I am curious about your experiences,

To be continued,

Love Esther