Working from Home during a Pandemic
Glenn* (name changed) was one of the many people tasked to work from home. This was unpreceded. Glenn decided to have some fun as well as to reassure family and friends who were feeling stressed in the same situation. Glenn saw that it could be a time of new discoveries for him and his family. Every day, he candidly shared his new discoveries with his friends when he found them. On the first day, he discovered his toilet flushes for exactly 4 seconds. He had not realized that before On the third day, he confirmed that in the afternoon at a specific hour, the wireless internet at home was slower than at other times. He wondered why this was so. On the fifth day, he shared, “The most common shape in my house is circles.” When he was late to post the sixth day discovery and he posted on the seventh day instead, friends shared with him about how they were looking forward to his daily sharing and how it cheered their day. These seemingly innocent simple discoveries that were all missed in the hustle of his day were not only lifted his spirit but also of his loved ones. A simple act, a humble observation with a sincere sharing equaled a cheerleading.
Besides Glenn, others who are working from home also began to share their versions of what they discovered about their family when they worked from home. Several revealed being surprised that their spouses talked differently with work and at home, like two different persons. One wife shared when it came to the family, her husband was easy going, usually let her make decisions and did not express strong opinions. When her husband had to work from home and took a work meeting call, she realized he could speak up, be proactive and decisive. She felt she was getting to know her husband again.
During this time, whether we work in the front line or at home, it could lead to a time of transformation for us, if we are willing. We could discover a new side to ourselves or our family members, explore new interests alone or with our family members or we could mope that we cannot manage. Whichever we think we are, we will be.
