Good afternoon, my friends! We have made it to the double digits of our medical quarantine. Just as a reminder (or for first-time readers, welcome!) we are in a medically mandated quarantine based on my body not having a functioning immune system. This means that we are likely to be in quarantine for many months, if the current figures are projected correctly. I am mentally doing my best to prepare for that, along with the many other harsh realities that this novel situation has forced us into. That being said, we are choosing to celebrate all the victories, big and small. This is a photo of us today after a week of spending (lots) of intentional time together, learning to work from home, developing a consistent workout routine, and making all of our meals from scratch, at home. I think we are allowed to be pretty darn proud of ourselves for making the most of this uneasy time. That being said, not every moment is okay or pleasant, and the learning curve to have some grace and acceptance for those times has been challenging. And that's okay! See me practicing some grace there? ;)
It was odd to welcome each other into "the weekend" after our last virtual meetings on Friday afternoon. It feels like we are all part of one big weekend right now, although that is not true by any stretch of the imagination. Most of us in the USA are now practicing social distancing at a bare minimum. The main reason for doing this is broken down really well this way (I know I have already said a lot on this topic, but some are still not heeding the warnings, so let's keep putting the good information out there):
Wow, that first and last scenario are so wildly different that it is hard to see them as being connected to the same vector of contagion. But here's the thing, they are. And in my mind, this information is EMPOWERING since we as a community have the ability to "choose our own adventure" and reduce the strain on hospitals so that we all can have access to good healthcare.
Given the social distancing, many in isolation, and some of us in quarantine, it all just feels topsy-turvy. When do I put down my work? When do I pick it up? People talk about not bringing work home with them, but now...most of us are either working from home, or working in hospitals and urging others to work from home because they are not allowed to do so. Some of the things we are trialing right now are different modes of boundary setting.
For example, setting up my office upstairs and my husband's downstairs (noise carries in our home so it is to make sure we don;'t accidentally end up on each other's calls-we really do love each other!) was a huge step. Additionally, we mutually decided that M-F we could start as early or late as we like to (within our work guidelines), but must be done by 5 P.M. when we are normally home with one another. We also set a time to make dinner so if we are going down a work or social media rabbit-hole, we have a built in time to check in with one another. All of this has been huge in creating work boundaries, daily structure, and healthy relationships. What are you doing right now to create your best possible work environment?
Remember, friends, PREPARE, don't panic.
-Allison
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