7:55am
Roll out of bed. Turn on the laptop. Log in. Clothes? Hair? Contacts? Make-up? — Optional.
So much time is saved without really needing to “get ready” for work, especially if your bed and workspace are within arms’ reach. Additionally, I’ve realized that we, humans, in general do put in effort to look presentable or professional, yet that doesn’t usually correlate with our mental ability to think. I can be just as productive in my pajamas, bedhead, and pale face when it comes to getting work done. It’s also not like ideas are more likely generated when I’m wearing a dress and jewelry vs slippers and a robe. Of course, there is something to be said about dressing for success, feeling confident, etc. but that’s a separate topic because as we’ve all discovered during this WFH period, it’s that we can all be equally productive while not in the office.
About an hour into my WFH day is when I usually get hungry and accept that I should upgrade my look before a Zoom meeting. I putter to the kitchen in my slippers and start the kettle. One absolute FAVORITE benefit about WFH is that my breakfast and lunches can be hot/freshly made. I’ll pop two slices of bread into the toaster, grab the peanut butter or jam or Nutella, slather a generous scoop on the hot, crispy toast. Or maybe toss some fruits into the blender, add yogurt, milk, and whip up a smoothie. Hmm add a hot cup of coffee (or tea or lemon water), and this breakfast beats any instant oatmeal or cereal from the office.
Since I’m on the topic of meals while WFH, I’ll jump into lunch here. Sometimes the day only offers a 30min gap between meetings (with the majority as Zoom calls, so you have to sit and be visible in front of the camera), but that’s enough time to fry up some eggs, creating a self-made-to-order ham, egg, and cheese toast sandwich, served with a side of Doritos. Or perhaps, I’m in the mood for French toast, equally quick to make and cutting into 3 layers of egg infused bread dripping with syrup… Such joy!
Anyways, back to work — kitchen to desk, a grand total of 32 steps. Got in an hour of work, made myself a tasty breakfast, and it’s not even 9:30am yet! First Zoom video meeting isn’t until 10am, so I’ve got plenty of time to alternate going through the rest of my emails and finally getting dressed more appropriately (T-shirt and sweatpants; maybe a blazer over the T-shirt if I was presenting, and a handy pair of earrings on the desk to really “dress it up” since only my top half is visible.)
That is, until suddenly “dooodo dooodo” and a popup says “Incoming Zoom Call from [Boss]”! An unscheduled video call is the worst. Why do bosses do that?! There should always first be the heads-up ping on messenger asking to call. Regardless, it’s your boss, so you have to answer. Quick, toss on a sweatshirt, rub your face, and pat down the hair. Answering just in time on the 7th ring, I’m anxiously peering into the video checking my appearance while blaming a bad internet connection for the delay. Hello hello? Sorry about that! Oh wait, I’m on mute. [Search the internet for Zoom video clichés and jokes. All of them are based on undoubtedly based on real experiences. #zooming]
Seeing your colleagues over video is an insightful experience and certainly a quick way to break down formalities. Everyone is so much more human by nature of working from home. Backgrounds are a glimpse into their personal lives, adding a layer of normality to a colleague who might otherwise have always had the same professional/office aura around them. It’s not unlike seeing your high school teacher at the Rodeo in tight jeans and a sequined jean jacket (true story). Insights learned from colleague’s backgrounds range from the color of their rooms to the art on their walls to the age of their kids or the surprise that they have a dog/cat they’ve never mentioned. There are the colleagues who never turn on their video, begging the question of whether they live in a cupboard under the staircase, or those who sit in a lawn chair outside (how is your wifi so strong?!) basking in the sun. And then there are also the colleagues whose background is constantly different (and not from changing the virtual background), but clearly always in a different room, which makes me wonder how do they decide where to go and how big is their house.
I digress. Back to the work day, what time is it now — already 3:30 in the afternoon! WFH sometimes feels like a time bubble, powering through the To-Do List and literally being at the laptop all day because there are much fewer distractions [Examples in “The Office”]. Or, more likely, because WFH distractions are all within arm’s reach or the 32 steps to the kitchen [read: pathetically small city apt]. Of course, those living with their family would have a different perspective*. As I said before, this unexpected WFH experiment has proven to most companies that their employees are generally just as productive as in the office. There are some days when I do find myself on top of all the work, even with a spare half an hour or so in the afternoon. I might stand up and stretch, gaze out the window at this swath of sunshine pouring in, imagining the better times when I’d welcome the break with a walk outside to enjoy the beautiful summer day. Instead, since I’m WFH and already in a comfy shirt and sweatpants, it doesn’t take me but a moment to leap into my bed, snuggle the comforter, and take a quick 30 minute nap.
Unexpected benefit of WFH: Power naps. Much research exists touting the health benefits of power naps to reenergize the body and refresh the mind during the workday. Certain progressive companies already have nap rooms or nap pods to encourage and allow their employees a quick snooze. Other companies and industries are slightly less accommodative (on that note, therapy dogs in the office would also be amazing). But with WFH, sneaking in a power nap is simple, especially if you can leverage the previously aforementioned workspace and bed within arm’s reach. The key is to stay “green” for available on the internal messenger, in case someone needs to contact you. Keep the laptop running or toggle the mouse every 15 minutes. If you nap too long without re-engaging the computer, your internal status will idle and appear “yellow.” This indicates that you’re not logged on, aka obviously napping, since it’s quarantine and you could not have actually gone anywhere.
7:00pm until going to sleep
The ending of a WFH day is vague. Sure, formally logging off and seeing that Citrix icon disappear can be satisfying. But let’s face it, it’s not like the laptop gets turned off. I just switch browsers to Netflix or YouTube or open friend chats (or write more stories). Whatever it is, I’m still sitting at my desk and when a work email notification pops up, my options are the 2 clicks to view just email on my 6”x3” phone screen or 4 clicks to access entire work platform on my 22” monitor. Work From Home therefore has a true literal meaning as well, if you’re at Home, you can Work.
*Slightly indignant side comment is that there’s a lot of focus and sympathy for the parents with children at home. I certainly do not want to undermine how difficult their lives must be trying to balance work and homeschooling/childcare, so absolute kudos to them. The lack of concern for the population of employees who are living alone, however, I find troubling. Whether as unmarried/not living with their SOs, or without their families, there are many who fall in this category. Group calls are all small talk about the difficulties of keeping the kids at bay, or pardoning family interruptions on video, or the background noise of kids shouting. All valid WFH struggles, yes. But no one seems to call out and acknowledge that there is also a struggle of living alone, confined to a small living space, limited sunshine, no conversations or human presence, and just constantly staring at computer/phone screens for work and entertainment. I think this population also deserves a shoutout for staying strong while away from their family and friends and coworkers.
