more than just a job

We asked Jessica, our Lead Barista at the Nob Hill Cafe, what it’s like working during COVID-19. Her response, 

What are some highlights and struggles of working during COVID 19?

Although there are truly crappy things that are going on, I’ve noticed a lot of good. I've personally been able to slow down enough to recognize habits I want to build in my life. And I think because we are all being forced to slow down we are being intentional. We recognize interactions way more and being able to see someone at the window is special because you have not seen anyone all day. You're not going anywhere, you're not seeing your friends.

On the harder side of things, in the back of my head, I knew people who are homeless were relatively ignored by the working and upper class. But it's become so evident now and being in Nob Hill, we have a lot of people who are homeless in the neighborhood .

And a lot of them aren't just showing up because of the pandemic, they've been around for a long time. It's nothing new but I'm noticing them struggle more. They have outbreaks and hard mental days more frequently. 

And this gentleman here, I serve him everyday. I know when he's having a really good day and when he's having a really terrible day. 

I don’t know if that would have been the case if none of this would have happened.

It seems working during this time has shed light on life that’s happening right in front of us daily in Nob Hill. 

Right. And we’re less busy when he comes around. He’s one of five people who is consistently in the area. And for me being exposed to a more intense part of the things I see regularly and I feel concerned about. Its really made me think about them a lot and question what my role is in all of this outside of being an employee here.

But I mean that's more of an external thing. I'm kind of an introvert so I haven't had too much of a hard time adjusting socially. I miss our friends but I honestly feel like I've enjoyed being forced to be slow. And it's made work kind of a nice outlet you know. I feel like I'm getting the social life and social needs met here.

“It’s the small steps of being intentional with the little things and being stewards with the little things that you are able to make a difference.”

And our mission as a business is to be mindful of those things and not be transactional. 

I feel like my job has gotten slightly harder. Not being able to just chill, be bubbly, and have cool conversations with fifty people and then go home. Some people don't have super bubbly things to say. But I also don't want to allow that to keep me from wanting to try to say something that might make people not have a terrible time.

Maybe you don't want to hear someone saying the sun’s out, it's so beautiful but if I do make an effort to get you out of that rut you might be in, maybe you’ll look back and think I actually enjoyed my time getting out for coffee. And that girl is annoying and bubbly but I did laugh when we were talking. 

So it is harder to try to be a light right now. But also it's just not black and white. There's so much grey. Some people are so excited to talk to somebody and do something else for twenty minutes. 

Yeah I think we sometimes fall into the trap of dualistic thinking - we have to be on one side or the other and it can’t be both. To think It’s black and white and we can’t stand in the grey areas of life, that this time is only bad when there is actually good happening alongside the bad.

I think some people need that outlook and dude, give yourself some room to breathe. And at the same time yes, you have to acknowledge that you're struggling. You have to allow yourself to say this is hard. But I also feel like it could be like a move of survival to say you know what, I’m going to find something good to hold onto today and have a feeling of gratitude.

I was listening to this thing and this guy was basically saying we can remove ourselves from the mindset of depression and ugliness when we do good. When we help others. Even if it’s in my head I'm telling myself I'm going to be a hero and try to say something that's going to be encouraging or not be in a bad mood when this person walks in. No I’m not doing social work, but for me personally that could be really healthy. Then I have manifested a healthier outlook and it makes me healthier to deal with the fact things are really dark right now.

So I don’t know, I feel like this is not a fun situation for anybody but I do think there’s an accountability to try and make good out of what you can so that way at the end of all of this we have something to work with. I think it's hard to just see the dark all the time and continue working our job. 

There’s truth in saying it's no longer our job to just show up and make drinks that look and taste good. But I think the conversations hold a lot more weight than they did before.

Our desire to do more than just business but to use business as means to use coffee to love people has always been the case. We’ve always wanted to be fun while at the same time be intentional, meaningful,  and high quality.

But in light of the pandemic, it’s more evident at the end of the day, it’s more than just a job. If you want to make it that you can. You can choose to just show up and not care or be annoyed or brush things off. But if you want to tap into the vision Little Bear has and with all the things they do, I think it's really cool. And you can get a lot out of it. And you can be a part of something pretty big.”

Love people.

Use coffee.