Thriving in Lockdown! Team SeventhElement: Activities and Achievements

As zoom calls replaced catching up with friends in the pub and people looked for ways to keep themselves entertained, searches for quizzes and baking have dominated the lockdowns with an average of 450,000 searches per week since the beginning of the pandemic!

People also used the lockdowns as an opportunity to improve their skills. The language app Duolingo was the fourth most popular activity of all lockdowns and DIY has seen an average of 250,000 searches per week across the year. Our homes have never looked so good!

Despite the unprecedented testing times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have adapted quickly and thrived in the face of adversity. The incredible growth of online businesses speaks volumes – 800,000 new businesses launched during the three lockdowns, with the majority selling goods from home.

So how did team SeventhElement spark its creative juice throughout isolation?

Let’s take a look at how we thrived in lockdown…

Rory

Joining the quarter of a million of us attempting DIY, Rory moved into a new unfurnished flat, impressively painting and decorating from scratch. All hail the DIY King.

He has jumped on the cycling bandwagon, filling his lungs with a hearty dose of clean country air that has sky-rocketed his fitness levels; lockdown also helping him to quit smoking. Well done, Rory!

Kathryn

Kathryn has had a brush-in with painting, rekindled with her old flame (nature) and added to her ever-growing collection of plants and orchids.

She has also been busy completing the HubSpot content marketing course and joined the charity LocalHelpers that has helped vulnerable people during the pandemic.

Alice

Alice has spent her time locked down creating masterpieces in the kitchen, getting adventurous with World Food Wednesdays and enjoying foods from all corners of the globe!

She has also spent time improving her fitness levels whilst topping up her tan with rooftop yoga and navigating the mean streets of London on her bike.

Emily

Emily has been channelling her inner seamstress, knitting a jumper, creating pottery sculptures and quite literally dipping her toe into the exhilarating depths of cold water swimming.

She has also enjoyed cycling around London and kayaking (on the sunnier days).

Since the start of lockdown, Emily has also achieved a HubSpot content marketing qualification, completed Veganuary and got married. Congratulations, Em!

Kate

Kate has channelled her creative energy into moulding the adorable doggo clay creations and set up her own Instagram account and online business, Count Barkula of Hackney, inspired by office pooch Victor Hugo.

Ash

During lockdown, Ash picked up the keys to his new house and has been channelling his inner DIY with a full-scale garage conversion.

He is a dab-hand at music production, working hard in the studio to release epic singles and music videos and immersed himself in the virtual gig scene. 

Ash has also been swotting up on cryptocurrency trading. Watch this space!

His furry little helper, Biggie, has been hard at work too…

Xav

In addition to working insane hours, Xav found time to rekindle an old passion of his, DJing house under his alter ego Xavier Mattease, sharing his very personal memories of an amazing 90’s movement.

His epic Friday night sets provided some much-needed entertainment, social chat and banter to a few hundred faithful listeners. Over the two lockdowns, he played 37 live DJ sets, spinning 180 hours of house music from his 2000+ vinyl collection. Check out some of the DJ sets.