Experiences from pandemic times: Optimistically into the new reality

The coronavirus pandemic has turned our lives and work upside down since the beginning of 2020. Our personal contacts have been reduced to a minimum, our own four walls have become our daily workplace, and many hobbies have been put on hold. In this article series, employees talk about their (professional) everyday life in pandemic times. How do they cope with the ongoing situation, what hurdles do they encounter and how has their life changed due to the restrictions?​

By Eglė Pinaitė, Associate Partner, Head of Life Sciences Practice Group, Rödl & Partner Lithuania

Last March, I watched live the Meeting of the Government declaring the quarantine and lockdown in Lithuania, without having a clue of what to expect and fearing to step into the uncharted territory. Since then, our lives have changed completely. Things that you could never have imagined, such as no relatives, no face-to-face meetings, Teams and Skype meetings instead, no offices, working completely from home, etc. became a new reality. We had to adapt and slim down to navigate through all the challenges quickly, also to maintain our physical and mental health, and I think the circumstances and hard work have borne fruit. We have all learnt a number of things about ourselves that we never knew, including how little you actually need. We became more thankful for simple things, like meeting close and loved ones, family and being healthy or having a nice walk outside with a friend.

I have not been back to the office since last March, except for some minor paper work. I have adjusted to the situation completely and have even fallen in love with it. Although I am a very sociable person and love meeting people, I enjoy working from home. I live with my two dogs in a private house, so I have all the time and space I need for my work. On the other hand, I truly miss my colleagues and all the private time we had over a glass of vine. I hope to have it back again soon, as the vaccination is quite successful in Lithuania.

I wish everyone to stay healthy and positive, because the good times are just around the corner.