The INVIVO team has been trying out new ways to take care of our mental and physical health, while staying connected to each other and our communities.

It’s an unprecedented time in all of our lives. The pandemic has upended businesses, caused many to lose family members, and disrupted the social fabric of our everyday lives. It’s been a month (already!) since non-essential businesses began to work-from-home here in Toronto, so we thought you may enjoy our team’s tips to help you do the same.

At INVIVO, we’re privileged to be able to continue working from home, doing important work in medical communications that is needed more than ever right now.  We know we’re lucky, and we remain concerned for our society’s front line workers; for our clients and colleagues; and for the vulnerable who may be affected.

Here’s 9 ways members of the INVIVO team have been finding joy. We hope you share yours!

Purple and orange crocuses in the morning sun.

1. Look for signs of spring.

Nicky Saldanha, VP of Business Development has been enjoying looking for signs of spring on her regular physically-distant walks.

Painted Magic the Gathering cards, with before and after. One a mountain in pink and yellow, the other a shoreline blue waves and brown rock.

2. Challenge yourself

Chris Stretten, Senior 3D Animator has been brushing up on his skills by taking Magic: the Gathering cards and painting out the borders and continuing the picture right to the edges. That’s gotta be one tiny brush!

Pretzel bread round buns, fresh from the oven. Mmm.

3. Join the Baking Brigade

With so many delicious carbs appearing in our timelines, one early adopter to the ranks of the global wfh baker’s brigade, is our VP of Creative Innovation James Hackett. James has been baking up a storm, including tempting us all with this pretzel bread.

4. Share with others

 

Displaying another side of his artistic nature, Senior Design Director Peter Henderson has been taking weekly requests in our Team chat and playing self-taught piano pieces for us all on the weekends, including this Talking Heads piece. We love it.

Delicate watercolour flowers on paper. Reds, yellows and oranges.

5. Try new things with the kids

Marie-Claude Turgeon, Group Account Director, has been discovering her artistic side by painting lovely springtime watercolours alongside her children.

Dad and two kids pausing on a cement block to look at the spring trees. "tout est possible" spraypainted on the cement in the foreground.

6. Remember to get fresh air

Exercise and fresh air are always important, and INVIVO President Andrea Bielecki and her family have been getting outside for some physically-distant walks in Toronto’s ravine system.

The resulting drawing of a child with a toy castle, burned into a triangular block of wood.

7. *Pew pew*

 

It’s always good to try new creative tools, and Drea Zariwny, Senior Medical 3D/UX Designer has been dabbling in laser cutting.

Blue sky, orange line of sunrise to the left, pink umbrellas at Sugar Beach with a mountain bike leaning against them.

8. Explore, but don’t linger

Rising before dawn to stretch his legs, Marketing Manager Glendon Mellow has been heading out for sunrise bike rides around Toronto, touching only his bike handles and his phone camera.

9. Develop your green thumb

Instead of going to the local market with the usual frequency, Associate Medical Art Director Natalie Cormier is developing her green thumb and growing some fresh veggies.

From the INVIVO team to you, we hope everyone is able to stay healthy, try new things (wash your hands), and to find your own moments of serenity during 2020.

Andrea Bielecki COVID-19 INVIVO Team wellness