Over the past month or so pretty much all of us will have been impacted in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic. For many of us, this has meant transitioning to working from home, and all that this entails! There are many challenges associated with this, and everyone is facing different issues, and dealing with this in their own way. Whether you’ve got kids at home, family members or friends who depend on you as a carer, an overactive new puppy, a really terrible internet connection, no space for a ‘home office’, or you hate having to cook every day………….there are going to be challenges!
This quote was sent out in an email by our HR group, and it makes a very good point - this isn’t just ‘working from home’ - there is just so much going on at the moment that we cannot control! Find what works for you, and above all - be kind - to yourself, and to others.
““If you’re finding working from home hard going, remember you are not working from home. You are at home during a pandemic trying to work. There’s a difference”. ”
For some of us, the transition has been fairly straightforward in terms of logistics. I have a sort-of-desk at home and all of my work is computer based, so it was simply a case of collecting an extra computer monitor from my office to make things a bit easier. I’ve got a nice quiet space to work in (aside from my partner occasionally swearing at his computer on the other side of the living room while he works), we don’t have kids, and we both love cooking - so overall we’re pretty lucky!
But it isn’t that straightforward - I’ve had to deal with two research voyages and an outreach programme being rescheduled, as well as a big trip to see family being cancelled. I hate uncertainty and like to have everything planned out, so having to cross out months of carefully planned and coordinated events has been heartbreaking!! And being far away from family when they need help is really tough.
How do you cope when life gets turned upside down?
Here are a few suggestions that WOMEESA members have shared:
Be kind to yourself - there will be bad days, don’t let them get you down!
Create structure - have a routine, for yourself and for the kids if you have them - some people find that this helps their kids cope, and it can help create a distinction between ‘work’ time, and when it is time to switch off.
Speaking of kids - home schooling is not easy, nor is juggling childcare and a job! There might be days when it all goes a bit pear-shaped and your child ends up with playmobile stuck up their nose while you’re in a conference call…….children are resilient, you’re doing an awesome job!
Taking naps at any age is perfectly acceptable - some people find it really helps with productivity and it can really help if you’re not sleeping well at night
Relax your expectations and trust your integrity! There’s a great article by Dr Melanie Smith here on working from home.
Focusing is tough, you might find that you have ‘golden hours’ where you can get far more done than you do for the rest of the day (or week!)
No one is perfect, don’t believe everything you read online, especially those people who claim to be cranking out six papers and a grant application whilst baking fresh sourdough every morning!!
Need some extra motivation? Join a #SUAW session with other WOMEESA members - keep an eye on your emails and/or Twitter for more details!
Have a stay at home house husband! - this one requires some forward planning……
You can salvage a bad day! There’s a lovely article from Aisha S. Ahmad here that tells you how.
I recently came across the Te Whare Tapa Whā model through a leadership workshop. The model was originally developed by Mason Durie to help understand Māori health and well-being. The same principles can also be applied to dealing with working from home, tackling problems, and getting through a crisis. The four ‘cornerstones’ of the model are summarised in the image below. We often find that when faced with an issue, one or more of these cornerstones becomes neglected.
And to end, a few useful, and/or entertaining links that might be of interest!
Oliver Jeffer’s TED talk: An ode to living on earth
Charlie Mackesy’s wonderful drawings - guaranteed to make you smile on the worst of days
How to stay positive during COVID-19 - advice from a professor of happiness
Learn about newly discovered deep sea creatures offshore Western Australia
Support small local businesses with vouchers or donations - this is NZ based, but I think there are other equivalents elsewhere! Buy a voucher and look forward to enjoying a trip to your favourite cafe, bakery, restaurant, whatever takes your fancy!
Great list of educational resources for all ages
Craving chocolate cake but all out of eggs and butter? Try this dairy free recipe - trust me, its really good!
Love all things marine? Check out Monterey Bay Aquarium’s learning at home page. They also have live web feeds of some of their tanks - the otters are adorable!
Science fun for kids with Nanogirl Labs! New ideas to try every day.
