I survived by focusing on survival. Now it's time to be efficient.

I live in Ukraine. Before the war started, I was a typical late 20s office worker with a mediocre job at a software company. Then Russia invaded. Most of February I was depressed and anxious, trying to make sense of my new reality. Then in March my family, some friends, and I fled to Poland, where we resided in a small apartment in Krakow.<br><br>I've been working remotely since the beginning of the war, as my company was kind enough to let me live abroad. However, at first it was hard to focus on work. At the beginning of the war, Ukraine was a disaster zone. Being hours away, even days away from home felt like being away for years. So much happened in Ukraine in those few weeks. Being away from the news felt weird. I was in a state of confusion and had to do my best to survive.<br><br>I think I survived by focusing on survival. My mental state was at an all-time low. I imagine it was similar to being diagnosed with cancer. Someone presents you with the most possible and least possible diagnoses - "it's not cancer" or "you have stage 4 cancer, you have days to live." The last thing you want to do in those days is clean up your room. Sometime later, when you find out whether you're going to live or die, you can think about cleaning up. I've been too busy to clean up my life in those first weeks. I had to find an apartment in Poland, settle down, and find a job for my wife.<br><br>The war in Ukraine continues. The news is still grim. Ukraine is still a disaster zone. However, in the past few weeks, things have settled down a bit. I've found an apartment. My wife has found a job, and is now working full time, while also taking care of our four-year-old kid. Before we fled, my kid was in kindergarten. But we haven't found a kindergarten in Poland yet, so taking care of him is a challenge. But we're managing. My mental state is still all-time low, but we're managing.<br><br>It's time to stop focusing solely on survival. Someone presents you with the most likely and least likely diagnoses - "it's not cancer" or "you have stage 4 cancer, you have days to live." The news is still grim. But now that you've survived through the first shock, it's time to clean up your room. I can't let my mental state stay low forever. I have to make the best of my time in Poland. I have to stay productive. Someday this war will end, and I'll return to Ukraine. When I return, I want to be the best version of myself.<br><br>That's why I'm here. Now that I've survived through the first shock, I have to focus on being efficient. I need to clean up my life and make the best of my time in Poland. I need to end my depression and anxiety. This is my main goal, and productivity is the way to it.