WFH - This One Is Different
HFW & WFH.
Homing-from-Work. Working-from-Home.
I have almost always worked remote for a majority of my career, so the working-from-home idea is not alien to me.
But THIS one is different.
I welcome your views on what I am feeling. If this is the “new-norm”, then it needs to come with strategies to deal with it, which it does not – so let me know how you are dealing with this.
The piece that is different is the “zero-buffer” between home and work, and the important role it played in helping me sort out my “work related aches and pains and trials and tribulations” before I was greeted at home by Beau my yellow lab (pictured above!!); and also sort out my “home related aches and pains and trials and tribulations” before I walked into office. The taxi rides to the airport, the commute, the time at the airport, Peet’s Coffee at the Wrigley Building, time at the hotel – were all part of this buffer zone. I used this time to make sure there was minimal spillage between H and W. There was #homeworkbalance. I had time to put things in the right bucket, nicely marked - “H” and “W”.
And then…#lockdown…Boom!
Bone-on-bone. #ZeroBuffer
No time to cleanup your emotions between the Zoom call and being called out - “Dad, why is the wi-fi so pathetic around here – do something!”. Or between the customer escalation to “What was that call all about, Honey? Is everything OK at work?” Or between having just heard about a dear family member suddenly taking ill, to a mindful colleague saying, “Hey Amit, you don’t sound good – is everything alright at home?” You get it. Managing no spills between buckets – is hard work, and stressful. No? For me it is.
How are you coping with this? Have you developed some tricks and tactics?
Please share them if you will. I for one could use some help.
Embracing the shift to remote work is like sailing new seas—challenging yet rewarding. Aristotle once noted, excellence is a habit, not an act. Apply that to mastering work-life balance from home. Let's navigate these waters together. ???? #AdaptAndOvercome #WorkLifeBalance
Operational Excellence Leader (Unifii) & Creator of TheSundayLongrun
4 年yep! having been home based for 13 years now this is the longest I have actually spent at home, and missing all the incidental movement and interactions that happen when I'm on the road... and yes, the buffer zone is missing... the 15 second walk from the office to family is definitely not enough to unwind after the day... so important to make movement and unwinding part of the daily discipline :)
WFH....We forget to clock out and the balance that one had between professional and personal life is out of the window. Definitely miss the casual collaboration that happens while at work ; the impromptu brainstorming session over lunch/coffee - very hard to replicate the same virtually. Few things that is working for me is staying connected, creating routines and being positive Few months back one common question among employees was can we work from home and now the common question is when can we be back to office!!!!
Area Vice President | Gartner India MSE
4 年Amit, I could relate with this in more ways than 1 ! To the extent that I have almost started missing my two hour commute to & from work - something that I had come to detest last couple of months. Little did I realize that it was the much needed buffer which gave me time to "switch" modes.
Same here Amit and after almost 3 months of confinement I felt the pressure...now 8-9 am is blocked every day for a walk outside, here i Spain we can still do sport only from 6 to 10 am and this hour of fresh air is sacred and somehow building that buffer you were speaking of. Take care of yourself and stay safe!