Working From Home: Week One
Is This Real?
As I sit here at home on this Saturday (wait..it IS Saturday, right?) morning, I am contemplating what is on my agenda today. Tackle cobwebs, vacuum, laundry-just normal Saturday morning stuff. But this is no normal Saturday morning. This is the first Saturday morning after my first full week of working from home.
It is so odd to think that a month ago, our world was so different (or at least we were blissfully unaware of changes that were happening). I had heard of the Coronavirus, and we all had become more diligent with handwashing, etc. We didn’t have a clue that our whole world would turn upside down. Wow.
With all of these changes, there were many job losses or hours cut. Luckily, my position as a targeted case manager for a mental health agency is one that can be done remotely with a certain amount of ease. On the day I found out that I would be working remotely, I prepared. I bought a portable file container, made copies of all important paperwork that I would need, and arranged to set up my “home office”.
Unfortunately I do not have an extra bedroom or office space in my home, so I needed to do a little brainstorming on the best way to do this. A light bulb popped on in my head. The camper! A couple of years ago, my sister and I bought a “cousin Eddie” RV for our summer camping trips. Actually, it is a very nice older RV in good shape…not quite “cousin Eddie” style (probably about the same age, though)!
“Can you go get the camper from the storage unit and park it in our driveway?”, I asked my husband. I could tell it irritated him. “Why?”, he replied. I explained that the camper would make a great home office for me, since I would need to be making phone calls (and frankly my phone signal sucks inside of my house). He reluctantly agreed to bring it home, even though it is a bit of an eyesore in the driveway.
Let me tell you, that camper has been a lifesaver. Not only have I been able to do much of my work from there, it also gives me a place to get away. My husband has always worked forty plus hours per week. He is a truck driver, and I am used to him being at work much of the time. With the current world situation, he is still working but his hours have been cut due to routes being cut. I love him, but for the first time in our married life I have experienced what it is like to be stuck with him 24/7.
I have had to do much of my computer work from my bedroom, as my internet connection is usually not strong enough to reach the camper. During this time my pets have definitely discovered that I am home. If my dog isn’t whining to go out ten times a day, my cat is trying to crawl up and help me by sitting on my laptop keyboard. HA!
Thank God for the camper!
Yes, I have used the camper for my work. It is quiet and I can get my work done easily. Although it does make a great home office, it is also useful for other reasons. Around 5 pm the other night, I asked my husband and son what we should have for supper. We have a FULLY stocked kitchen right now, and I started offering many different meal suggestions. Back in the day when all of our kids lived with us, I used to plan weekly menus and that’s what we had. Since it is just the three of us now, it’s been a different story. I may plan sometimes, but not nearly as often. During this time of social distancing and home isolation, we have been eating whatever we want, whenever we want.
On this particular night, noses turned up at everything I mentioned. I was already very close to the end of my rope, my husband had been saying “I’m bored” the entire day, and I had just had enough. I finally just yelled “Fuck it, you guys can just find yourself something to eat”, and I shut myself in my bedroom. But, I could still HEAR them..and I didn’t want to hear their voices at that moment.
I came out of the bedroom and went in the kitchen. I assume my husband thought I was cooking for them, but I wasn’t. I made myself a huge bowl of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (so good for me, I know). I picked up my cell phone, a bottle of water, and my mac and cheese..and I headed for the camper. I checked out Facebook while I enjoyed my processed cheese food yumminess. When I finished, I went back in the camper bedroom and took a nap.
About an hour later, I heard the camper door open. It was my son. “Mom? Are you sleeping? Dad told me you were out here working.” Nope. By that time, I felt better and I was able to go back in the house without so much irritation. As I said before, thank God for the camper!
A Few Suggestions For Working From Home (or even just being home during this time)
- Continue setting your alarm and get up at a set time.
- Practice your normal hygiene routine (don’t forget to shower and brush those teeth)
- Get dressed daily.
- Make a schedule and stick to it as best you can. Even though I’m home, I’m scheduling phone calls, treatment plans, time for progress notes. I have a list of what I need to complete each day, and I do it.
- Get outside. Fresh air is a necessity.
- Plan for scheduled breaks in your day.
- Keep in touch with friends, relatives, coworkers by phone, text, or social media. Complete isolation makes things worse.
- Think about the changes you will make for the better when life gets back to “normal”.
Appreciate those that you have in your life. One just never knows what is around the corner. We are hearing a lot of negative these days, on the news and in daily life. Look for the positives. They are there. Look for the hopeful stories. You can find them if you look .
All in all, I feel it was a good week of working from home. Let’s see how next week goes. 🙂
