Working from home

I always dreamed of the ability to work from home, it sounded like paradise. Wake up, roll out of bed and begin work in snuggly pajamas without judgement. In practice, with a toddler, things look different from the rosy picture painted above.

I was accustomed to getting up, showering, putting on makeup, wearing professional clothes, commuting, getting Starbucks, going into the workplace, chatting with co-workers and being part of a team. March 12 was my last day in the office. Employees were informed that due to COVID-19 remote work would be implemented for the next six weeks. Six weeks turned into until there’s a vaccine, aka indefinitely.

I’m approaching five months working from home and Nug and I are finally hitting our stride. But it took a lot of patience and adjustments from the entire family. Nug isn’t a fan of things taking attention away from her. She couldn’t care less about Teams meetings, article deadlines and website redesign. I’ve had to become flexible, working evenings and weekends to ensure everything gets done. Did I mention I only work about 20 hours a week? How people squeeze 40 hours of work with kids, home school and general life responsibilities all while working from home amazes me. You are truly champions.

While there have been challenges, like missing my office chair, working in pajamas has been pretty magical. Also, I’m saving a ton of money on Starbucks! But the best thing by far is spending everyday with my baby. If I ever go back to the office, I’ll miss our leisurely morning routine and dare I say it … even Sesame Street binges?