Working at Home: Note to Self

Working at home is an adjustment all on its own.  Not as easy as it looks folks.  Must create boundaries, routine, systems and have reliable equipment.   Layer on social distancing and it’s a whole other “game of thrones”.

I’d like to share these valuable lessons I’ve learned in a short-time. I never saw them coming.  I hope you can relate.

1. Avoid Crashing Your Computer in a Pandemic

While it’s never a good time to install an update or lose your data; sometimes are worse than others.  Especially outside of a large urban area.  After my laptop slipped so gently and gracefully off the coach (where else would I be emailing from – my desk or breakfast bar?).  It was not a quick fix with the entire world working remotely.  No inventory for 50 miles around.  Silver linings playbook, someone gave me a loaner and my new laptop arrives in 4 days, from QVC.  And you thought I was going to say Amazon.  Better yet, six payments and no interest.  No pain, best price on the dark web.  That brings us to note number 2.

2. Clean House

At home 24 x 7 for 2 weeks now, surrounded by everything I own, I realize, if I don’t like it, I don’t use it.  Did I mention my new computer is rose pink, its pretty.  Thanks Lenovo!  I use my computer everyday.  I gotta like it.  Time to purge: old pens, files, furniture, non-working electronics, blah, blah blah.  Let go to make room for what you actually use.  For me, holding onto things I don’t like and I don’t use, never serves me.

3. The Adage is True – We Learn in Adversity

Why is it that I always learn the most when I face adversity?  The Chinese word for crisis that also means opportunity is not a coincidence.  Old wisdom.  The message was there.  The stories tried to warn me.  I just had to learn if for myself.  Thank you Dorothy, Grand Mother Willow, Mulan and Edith Wharton. 

4.  Notice the Good

When the entire population of the world shifts to working at home, there is some good.  Whatever you call it, find the silver lining, make lemonade.  Be an optimist.  Look closely, it’s happening. Humanity is bonding.  I have viewed many videos, from far away lands, translated from other languages.  We have the same problems with our kids, our jobs, our loved ones, our government…  We are in this together. No blame, each of us scared, annoyed, worried and just plain exhausted.  With our electronic devices we now have time to connect and the means to do it.  And the grid is holding.  We truly are connected.

What’s Next. 

Create a routine.  Include time to play, to learn, to celebrate and even to worry.  Keep your perspective.  If you crash your hard drive, remember you are fine, you are not alone, and what needs to get done, gets done.

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