MBTI and quarantine
How INFJ mod and ENFP mod are dealing with self distancing
Disclaimer: quarantine for us began roughly around the end of February, and weāre writing this at the end of April, so itās been two whole months by now.
How have we been doing up until now?
INFJ mod: the first month went well, and with āwellā I mean ābadā. As an introvert, social distancing shouldnāt affect me too much, right? Well, this is true and I suppose itās a benefit Iāve experimented in the last weeks. It somehow helps me easing emotional pain and stress and this is undoubtedly an introvert perk. At the same time Iām a J. I need a certain amount of structure and order to plan ahead and organize my nearest future. I had a couple of exams during the first month of quarantine and it was stressful to deal with them in an emergency situation with lots of unforseen problems. So, how have I been doing up until now? I must admit that an unexpected emergency like this affected my emotional well-being, but iām trying to stay positive and learn to adapt and take advantage of quarantine!
ENFP mod: the first weeks had been absolute hell, let me tell you. I lost my routine, I lost my friends, I couldnāt even go out for a walk and every plan Iād made crumbled. Staying home felt like prison, and not having a set routine anymore affected my mental order and productivity because I was no longer able to correctly prioritize things. However, I think being N and being P helped me getting used to quarantine while at the same time being able to at least pursue my main interests and hobbies (I play games, I write, I read, and so on). Iām doing far better now, between discord calls with friends and group projects for uni, I keep in touch with people, while the increased free time allows my sparkling Ne-Fi to focus more on personal projects, like this blog.
Working/studying at homeĀ
INFJ mod: As I stated before, Iām a student. My university reacted well to the emergency and found countermeasures to compromise between a lack of lectures and the regular exams. Now Iām attending online lessons and the situation is far less stressful than it was until a month ago. I donāt have to underestimate this lack of pressure, because in a context where every day feels the same itās easy to slack off and to lose track of time. From a more concrete standpoint I must admit how comfortable and suitable online lessons are, since i donāt have to spend hours commuting and I can save time.
ENFP mod: I study in the advertising field, so my lessons are more like labs and peer reviews than proper lectures - also, thereās a lot of group work. Quarantine affected all this very badly to put things lightly, and although I appreciate the effort my university put in providing online classes and reviews, things arenāt absolutely the same as before, and this is lowering my motivation overall. I also used to work part time in events and malls during weekends, so obviously I lost that one, too - what a life.
Alone time vs imposed isolationĀ
INFJ mod: Quarantine should be like heaven for an introvert, right? Here is the fact: I can stay at home for a week or even more without social interaction, but it will always be my choice to recharge my social batteries or to enjoy alone time. This is an entirely different situation. Imposed isolation feels exactly like what it is: a necessary imposition that I didnāt choose. So, even if I need alone time as an introvert, I really miss my friends and the simple things we can do like laughing together, talking about our lives and passions, seeing them smile or telling a joke, sharing emotions. Because as an INFJ my auxiliary Fe just NEEDS to share emotions, thoughts, experiences, fears and dreams with trusted friends. As a Fe user, Iām still managing to find healthy ways to express my feelings, and although quarantine is an unusual situation and there are more constraints, I can still stay in touch with my friend and try to use Fe in a positive way.
ENFP mod: People call us ENFPs āthe most introverted of the extrovertsā and I can see why but truth is, the E is there and you canāt change that. Not attending classes is hard, and I miss even the smallest things of being outside - like listening to music while commuting or walking in the street and generally⦠feel the outer world? And even if I, too, need alone time sometimes, itās different when itās forced. But I got used to it in the end, so itās not that bad anymore. Lots of reading, writing and playing games - thank God P5R came out at the end of March. Iām managing by sharing opinions and experiences with my friends - we canāt discuss how Makoto Niijima is the absolute best waifu of the P5 female cast in person, but we can do that via chat with fanworks.
Social distancing: real interaction vs digital interaction
INFJ mod: there is a huge difference between real and digital interaction. If we talk about how internet allows us to communicate and work or study at home, digital interactions surely are helpful and Iām really thankful to live in an era where I can stay in contact with my friends and even see them. At the same time, as a Fe user I find real interaction irreplaceable and from a more irrational and emotional standpoint I canāt compare the two. That being said, I really value digital interaction as substitute of real ones. Itāll always be welcomed, be it to study or to stay in touch with friends. I also must admit how digital interactions are an interesting compromise between alone and social time, a win-win for an introverted Fe user like me.
ENFP mod: I tend to be very touchy when it comes to the people I love so yeah, digital interaction isnāt the same thing. At the same time, none of my closest friends live in my city, and we often need to organize things a month prior to fit everyone schedule, so Iām at least used to not seeing them everyday. I also truly miss my classmates, with whom I used to go out after lessons and have fun. This isnāt obviously possible with Skype calls - and donāt get me started on how project works are harder to deliver like this.
Routine
INFJ mod: Maybe youāll find it odd to read this from a J, but routines can really stress me out and I need small variation to my daily activities to relieve the fatigue. During this self imposed isolation Iām finding harder than usual to escape from routines.Yes, as a J I need structure and order to an extent. Yes, as a J I need time to adapt to new unexpected situations. What you may not know is that I also need ways to break free from strict and repetitive tasks. In my case, routines need to be a compromise between being mentally reassured by the presence of a certain amount of order and predictability and my aversion for repetitive tasks. Order and structure are subordinated to my desire for freedom. Freedom to create in an environment where I have time and space to envision what I want and how to do it, with my pace.
ENFP mod: I really struggled and Iām still struggling with routine. I donāt like routine per se, but itās an external factor that gives structure to my life and helps me make the most of my free time while not losing track of my duties. Uni classes played the bigger role in this, and now that theyāre online, the temptation of slacking off is really difficult to ignore. I keep my calendar updated and I make sure to be present and focused when needed, but I discovered Iām not well fit for smart working. To me, home is the place where I relax, rest and maybe study, but it certainly isnāt the place where I work. This conflict is what is giving me a hard time focusing on school projects, because if Iām home, the default mode is having fun. Also, I donāt have a sleep schedule anymore. I try my best every night, every night I get rejected.
Dealing with the inferior function
INFJ mod: Iām still working on my inferior Se and quarantine isnāt helping. As the inferior function, it usually takes me a while to even realize how much Iām falling into a Se grip or simply how much Iām not aware of Se. Self isolation amplifies those aspects and makes even harder to become conscious of unhealthy Se manifestations. Quarantine hasnāt stopped me to find a positive outlook in this situation and to learn from mistakes. At first I began to take a more concrete approach in daily life with simple actions. I live in a small town and I have green areas near my house, so Iām lucky enough to be able to spend some time in the nature and to experience it through the five senses. Iām also trying to become more aware of Se by being more present. This week Iām taking action and breaking vicious cycles of overthinking and self-doubt. Self isolation doesnāt allow me to experience life fully, so Iām taking advantage of the situation and Iām focusing those energies in concrete and meaningful actions, like writing on this blog or working on personal project involving creative writing.Ā
ENFP mod: inferior Si isnāt giving me a particularly hard time, surprisingly. Iāve experienced Si grip and I know what that means to me, but luckily that isnāt an issue now. I sometimes do things that require a more focused and detail-oriented approach: styling wigs for cosplay, trying on new make-ups, baking or cooking, observing what happens out of the window to write it down. Theyāre not āSi activitiesā by definition, but they are all things that require concentration, calm, methodical approach and that cannot be rushed - on contrary, sometimes I need to start from scratches and observe my mistakes in order to improve. These are all small things that help my Si stay present and not freaking out overthinking the past, brooding in regrets or yelling at me because Iām not living a structured life at the moment.
The risk of loops and grips
INFJ mod: this is partly tied to what I wrote in the section above: this unexpected emergency and the resulting self isolation produced stress and negative emotions. As an INFJ, my first reaction is to jump in the future and visualize possible scenarios. In this difficult times, I need to take a step back from my negative āwhat ifsā and to stay positive by building a better future for myself and others day by day, through simple and concrete action. Otherwise I only risk to slip into Se grips or Ni-Ti loops. As I stated before Iām already working on Se: itās not easy, but Iām at least trying. Another piece of the puzzle is my auxiliary Fe:proper auxiliary function development is essential to avoid loops. As an INFJ, self isolation prevents me from reaching out to my friends as much as I desire, at the same time we can stay in touch through digital interactions and they are surely helping me relieving stress and preventing loops.Ā
ENFP mod: while the Si part is ok, I still seem to have problems with NeTe loop. I had some rough ten days in mid-March because I was so focused on the million projects I had to finish and how that was stressing me out that I practically lived for nothing else. I managed to stop that before it got worse by speaking with my colleagues and asking to slow down the pace, so that I could have some free time to spend without feeling guilty or unproductive. But I still need to be cautious about the loop.
Trying to use all the four functions (and other healthy coping mechanisms)
INFJ mod: ok, itās time to sum up what I wrote in the last three sections. From an mbti perspective, Iām trying to find a balance between self reflection (Ni) and concrete actions (Se). Staying in the present, taking full responsibility for my actions,Ā approaching life through simple and steady actions are all steps I follow every day to shift my locus of control to a more internal position. There are obviously setbacks and some days are far worse than others, but Iām trying to stay positive and find hope. Fe helps me to reach other people which is invaluable but sadly, as an introvert, doesnāt come naturally to me. Itās an healthy way to alleviate or completely avoid loops and to keep my heart warm. Ti, when not involved in a loop, allows me to give structure to what I find meaningful and to organize my thoughts. Ti is basically the backbone of what I envision through Ni.Ā
ENFP mod: although the first times were rough, I feel I managed to find a balance along the way - with some setback from time to time. My Ne is constantly active in brainstormings for uni and discussing fictional works with friends. I must check on what my Fi needs because I tend to endure stress way more than I should do, so every now and then I must ask myself if Iām fine, if I need to stop or if I truly, absolutely like what Iām working on and, if the answer is no, if itās possible to discuss it with my project group. Te is very active (even too much, sometimes) and itās the core of me managing school, blog and personal projects, often writing things down on a schedule in order to keep my mind clear and ordered. I may help my Si more by really trying to re-establish a routine, but honestly the P approach helped me very much in this months of uncertainty, so I think Iāll keep going on like this as long as Iām fine.
Thank you for reading this far! - the mods
This fits word-for-word with me and my INFJ SO



















