Adjusting My Definition of Normal
Even though on Saturday I posted about Reclaiming a Sense of Normal I've realized the definition of normal may need adjustment for me. Work and life balance, planning ahead for family events and gatherings, vacations, and just free time will need to be different for a while.
Work Life Balance
It looks like we most likely will move almost entirely to teleworking unless there is an absolute critical need to go into the office. I'm going to need to adjust how I perceive teleworking. It will be very important to make some sort of transition from home to work, and then back again. I have a tendency to log in very early, and not log out until very late, figuring I'm not commuting. A day a week, that might be fine, but not if it is for weeks. The commute time is my transition time and allows me to mentally adjust. There's not really a reason to stay in work mode outside of work hours as if something comes up, I'm easily accessible.
I'm adding a couple things to my telework life. While I won't get dressed in work clothes and hose or trouser socks, I absolutely will not be working in pajamas or even sweat pants, and that will help signal my brain to work mode. At some point during the day I'll take a real lunch break, plus two short breaks. I'll get the pup outside as this is a new normal for him as well. To shift from work mode to home mode, I might channel Mr. Rogers, and change into a cozy sweater or sweat shirt and light a candle.
Family Time
Our circle is between DD1's home, and our home except for required errands. Like we did on Saturday, this will be a time to play board games (now that we have figured out Catan), cards, and video games together. We'll get DS on the phone. We'll reach out to extended family through all the social media avenue available and occasionally have group calls. DH has one with his siblings and mom about cabin stuff anyway, but the same concept could be done for just connecting.
Meals
We've gotten very lazy about eating meals at the computer, in front of the TV, or just standing in the kitchen. Part of that has been our busy run, run lifestyle, and me being home alone for so many meals. That is not the case for a while now. I will be sure to actually set the table. I'll be pulling out the cloth napkins, and using them instead of paper. While no shortage of those, it's a good time to embrace better conservation of all paper products.
Resource Use
I already mentioned the paper product conservation, but we need to apply this everywhere. I'd rather our money go towards supporting small business, as long as possible, with take out orders on occasion, and helping to fill food pantry's rather than throwing things in the garbage. This is the time to harness the "make do, do without, mend it, make it last" mantra. Even if good things happen in the coming months and the supply chain and craziness is behind us, this is a good mindset for the future.
Blogging About Money
This is going to be out the window for a while. For those that have had their income impacted, reading about someone else tucking money away is meaningless. As our own resources as both an immediate and extended family are impacted, our financial goals for 2020 mean next to nothing and will be evaluated weekly, if not day to day. My self imposed grocery challenges are done for a while, as is recapping how much we either borrowed from or deposited into savings.
Like my daughter and I were wondering about how Vloggers that relay on travel for so much of their content, will now film, I may struggle with topics to post. Don't be surprised if I just do some random stories and memories to get some conversations going. Blogging has become such a positive activity for me, I don't want to stop doing this. I hope you continue to make reading and commenting part of our normal.
When we lived in D.C. our neighbour worked from home. Oh how I envied him as horrific commutes have always been the bane of my life. He said that every morning he got up, showered and got dressed "properly" and then took a 5 minute drive around the block. I couldn't understand that at the time - but now I do. Good luck with telecommuting. It is a blessing but does take discipline!
ReplyDeleteI find without having the break of getting up and walking to another meeting room, or the meetings that are at other locations, I may not move for hours. I'm giving myself permission to take these stretch and thought breaks-like now.
DeleteSaving those cloth napkins might prove handy if you run out of toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteI hope you meant paper napkins! I don't plan to use my cloth napkins for TP.
DeleteA few people on my team have started "leaving the house" to walk around the block to kick off & end their day. I like that plan, plus it gets in extra steps.
ReplyDeleteToday is our first day of online schooling, which promises to be a new adventure as we (and all of the teachers) get used to everything.
My daughter is doing her homework while I'm working, plus she's listening to streaming lectures. We both need to separate the parts of our day to stay mentally active. Good luck to all four of you sharing office and school space.
DeleteDay number 12 for me but who's counting LOL? I surveyed the pantry and should have at least 2 more weeks of food. How is your son doing in LA? I've had several clients (they all have disabilities- most intellectual) tell me April 15th is when things will be back to the old ways- I keep telling them no one knows. They miss going to their day programs and eating out. We just have to continue 'hanging in there.' No fun for sure- what I wouldn't give for some ice cream hehe.
ReplyDeleteWhat part of the country are you in? He says he's about the same. There is food, and he has internet, plus he doesn't live alone. I'm going to guess they have shelter in place at least until Easter-making it a full two cycle semi quarantine.
DeleteFrom a couple who've been working from home for many years now I have some tips: 1. Definitely get up and get dressed. You may have online meetings and no one wants to see your jammies. 2. Try not to make too much leftovers. When you work from home sometimes there is joy in something interesting for supper. We are trying to have zero food waste right now so if I overcook that is difficult. 3. It's ok to be grouchy to each other once in a while when you are around each other for 24 hours a day. Try and find some space to do your own thing, no matter how much you love your spouse. This helps. 4. Try and get out of the house if not daily then every other day. In this timeframe that means walks for us since we are limiting how much we go out. This week I have to pick up my grocery order and also need to go to bank with company cheques. I will ask hubby if he'd like to come so we both get out of the house but only one of us will go in to each place to minimize exposure to others.
ReplyDeleteThank you-those are all helpful tips. I want to make sure we have adequate band with for both work and school. We are now told not to come in at all unless absolutely necessary, and then only to get what needs done, and leave again. I'm keeping a list for store items so we can go in, get it,and leave. With pup, we have to get a daily walk in, so that is a nice reason.
DeleteWhen I was working on post grad work with littles at home, it was tempting to think that on the day I didn't have class (called reading days) I could just treat as an off day. My trick was to get up at the same time, shower, dressed, and head to the campus library for the same amount of time I would have been in lecture. O.k., so you can't go elsewhere, but perhaps you could create a physical boundary on your dining room table, perhaps, which you only go to for work--and when you are there, the household knows you are at work, not available for other things? I know how hard it is to create boundaries at home.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, we are experiencing little change in our lifestyle, with the exception of my college freshman. He is crushed, absolutely crushed about the switch to online to the greatest extend for spring quarter, to the point he is considering dropping his classes. Oh, he'll TRY them, but in the back of his mind is the thought to drop at the last date to get a refund. Poor guy--he LOVES being on campus, loves heading to lectures...does not enjoy online learning. If he were at a 4-year school, I would push it, but since he's a year ahead due to last year's dual enrollment, I will grit my teeth and bear it. We cannot allow this situation ruin our mental health.
Since each of us are working or school, interrupting each other is probably not an issue. It is more my mental transitions that I need to make sure I have. So far daughter is doing OK, but they just got word officially no campus for the rest of the year.
DeleteYou just have to adjust where you need to adjust.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the better habits we all pick up will start to be the norm-that would be a tiny sliver of silver.
DeleteI think you just have to adjust as you see fit. We have a dedicated office so there is a physical place to go and no one disturbs whoever is in the office, but you can carve out a nook or end of a table or something similar to be dedicated work, and just like your real office when you leave it you are gone.
ReplyDeleteIF I wasn't motivated to get a dedicated office, free of life clutter, this should do it for me. We're making it work, but my lack of ambition in the past is sort of biting me now.
Delete