A New Normal?

[StraightForward]

Does anyone else see their lives going on a little differently after the pandemic?

2020 was kind of a sea change year for me, starting out with Annabelle still in rehab, not sure if she would be sound. Then I started a new job, and after that, getting Tesla going under saddle. I've been teleworking since late March, so it was a little weird walking down to my basement one day and having a whole new job with a whole new team.

I haven't really had time to think much about it until the last week or so. My new team is based in Denver, so although I will still have a cubicle at the same office building here, I don't think there will be much point in going in more than once a week. Much easier to be on conference calls from my home than a noisy cube farm. I've started looking at all my office clothes with a critical eye, and have made a pretty big pile of stuff to donate. I've also been making my basement work area a little more cozy and inviting. Overall, it's been a good thing for me, in that the pandemic forced some improvements to make telework more effective. Now I can spend more time at the barn.

[blob]

I work with a lot of creative extroverted types, who get a lot of their best work from in person collaboration. I can hang with that crowd. But I'm an introvert and I do my best work without impromptu interruptions or long brain storming sessions. Working remotely has been FANTASTIC for me and I'm honestly dreading having to go back. I'm really hoping I can keep myself working from home as much as possible even when our offices open again. We already had a "work from home Wednesday" policy and honestly I'm hoping to do more of a 2 days in going forward type system.

I also haven't really missed socializing that much. It's been a relief not to feel pressure to be social and get caught in the trap of either feeling guilty for not going out more or feeling exhausted from going out a lot.

[piedmontfields]

My DH and I have been working from home since March and expect to continue doing so for quite some time (like until most people are vaccinated...which could be awhile in the US). We call our upstairs where we've turned two bedrooms into offices "the executive suite."

Surprisingly, we've both come to appreciate the time that WFH gives us by eliminating a long commute. It's also a lot easier to be active during the day. We both manage people and projects, though, so this is likely not the long term new normal. We'll enjoy it while we can.

[PaulaO]

I am one of the few who dislikes working from home. I want to be at my desk with my computer and everything I need. I have a sweet work environment though. I am a solo hospital librarian with my own office in a quiet hallway. Down the hall is the bathroom and the cafeteria. I can pretty much set my own hours. I am far less productive at home mainly because of remote connection into the network. It stinks. My new normal will be May 2022 when I retire.

[heddylamar]

I already worked from home pretty much full time, with very occasional forays to meet with clients, or work in a coffee shop, so I had little professional adjustment back in February/March. I am a creative, but I have friends and colleagues who I maintain a slack channel with to share ideas and critiques. Lost were bi-weekly trips into DC for hockey games, mid-week lunches with friends, and a standing coffee date. And, I did have to adjust to having an office building mate again

OTOH, it was a big adjustment for the DH who was all over the place — clients, scif, conferences, etc. — and working all sorts of hours. I really hope they retain the habits, like daily meditation and exercise, that have helped control immensely this past year. There's a work/life balance again. It was overdue.

I truly dislike shopping so Instacart + 20–30% tip? Sold. I'm also absolutely loving grocery delivery. I'm still venturing out for the produce every few weeks. But we can get by without too.

[khall]

My normal has not changed much. I’m here on the farm and full time care for my mom. My DH did work from home initially but they’ve been back in the office for awhile now. With strict rules all to stay in their own office and when in hallways be masked.

I actually liked it when DH worked from home. DS was here too. It is a bit different for me since dad is passed. Much more care for him.

My biggest issue was not hosting clinics like I have in the past. Not welcoming everyone for lunch etc into the house. I’m known for the food I set out for lunch. Now we eat outside and I’m not providing lunch for riders.

Looking forward to less stressful 2021 mom is 84 with a Pre existing lung disease. We’ve been so careful with her. AB blood type too:(

[piedmontfields]

I meant to add that we do wonder about the future of work travel. Pre-COVID, my DH would travel monthly and I a bit less, plus we both like to travel for fun. Most of this involved airplanes. Clearly, we are greener global citizens meeting online, but we also miss the in person conversations and catch-ups with colleagues around the country and world. We've both done lots of virtual conferences this year; while it is something of value, it is not as rich as in-person for the most part.

Also, we are fortunate to have very good internet speeds in our very rural location (I think we have no competition, unlike suburbanites!)----without that resources, WFH would have been hell.

Like heddylamar, I am totally sold on curbside pick-up and delivery groceries. It saves so much time!! Between our garden and Misfits Market, we are well set with interesting produce; basic stuff can come from the local curbside pick-up grocery store. We order fish and meat online already.

[StraightForward]

I also wonder about the future of work travel, Piedmont. Mine was already reduced compared to when I started my previous job ten years ago. In some ways I miss it and some I don't. Virtual meetings just aren't as effective for certain things, and with my new crew being in another state, I do hope I can travel to work with them in person at least a couple times a year.

OTOH, after I've been in this position a few years, I could probably relocate pretty much anywhere in the west if I'm 80% virtual anyway. I doubt that we will, but it's a nice option to have.

[Ponichiwa]

Virtual work could be a boon to the cities and countryside alike: the air quality in and around cities has markedly improved (in my area, you can see downtown from flyover overpasses ~20 mi away now); rural areas could reap the tax and spending rewards of decentralized office workers (assuming sufficient internet infrastructure). Selfishly, that would enable more riding time for me. I do not miss my ~1.5hrs of commuting.

Since working from home, I've been able to take my dogs on walks of varying lengths during the day-- occasionally during meetings. Helps me clear my head, gets the dogs some exercise, and keeps me energized for the rest of the work day. I'll miss this a lot if/when we end up going back to the office. I can also knock out the weekly chores during the work day instead of having to waste time on the weekend doing laundry.

All told, I've felt varying degrees of guilty about how much I've enjoyed the pandemic lifestyle. No commuting, curbside groceries, plenty of outdoors time. I feel for my coworkers with young children, especially; they're having a rough time working from home with inconsistent childcare options. But for me? This has been great.

Agreed that the value of interaction is reduced in the new virtual environment vs. in-person conferences and events. I wonder how companies will balance that going forward. My org has made CO2 reduction a business priority; will that mean we're working remotely beyond the pandemic? I wish I had a crystal ball for this one.

[StraightForward]

Since working from home, I've been able to take my dogs on walks of varying lengths during the day-- occasionally during meetings. Helps me clear my head, gets the dogs some exercise, and keeps me energized for the rest of the work day. I'll miss this a lot if/when we end up going back to the office. I can also knock out the weekly chores during the work day instead of having to waste time on the weekend doing laundry.

Yes! I like to work for a few hours in the morning, then go for a run. It puts me in a good headspace to solve problems while I'm running.

It does seem like it will become a problem over time though, in that it will be tough for new employees to develop and receive mentoring without frequent face to face interaction. I would not be where I am in my career if I hadn't just been around people who happened to like me for some reason, and happened to push for me to advance in my organization.

[heddylamar]

Moving to WFH full time after years of commuting into DC and high pressure/long hour jobs was the best move for me. I suddenly had time for more elaborate weeknight dinners — like stir fries, and polenta with broccoli rabe It's also much easier to make artisan-style sourdough regularly. And, OMG. Being able to do household chores mid-day is fantastic! Need a 15 minute break? Scrub a bathroom ... it doesn't cut into barn time or anything else I actually want to do.

On the downside, I really miss my people and travel. I only went on 2 trips in 2020 — before we knew about COVID This fall, I went on a few backpacking trips in with a girlfriend, and DH and I spent Christmas in an adorable cabin. But, I had to cancel multiple cross-country trips and family visits

I really miss traveling for pleasure and work. I hope it doesn't become a victim of COVID or geopolitical fallout from this administration.

[blob]

I do miss travel as well. I traveled a decent amount for work. But I've also gotten work opportunities now that I wouldn't have pre COVID because no one is traveling, my location has mattered little.

[Ryeissa]

yes, same here. I was hoping to change jobs prior to this all, but working from home allowed me to make my current job work for much longer as I could be away from a bad boss and care for my dog's medical needs. Much better quality of life. I plan to either work part time away from the home in labs, or try to get a WFH job for the next one. For me, my commute had been really bad driving into a major city and parking was $$$. It really took a toll. Now I have a much better flow and I have ridden more in 2020 because of this change. I don't have to drive 45 mins home to drive 45 mins to the barn.
I like being home in general, I have a very good social barn and friends so my work wasn't where I got my social needs met....I have always liked to work alone. In my case DH gets home by 4pm and we do a lot of hiking.
I also get headaches from cube lights and it's all a bit "soul sucking"
So net value for me has been positive.

[PaulaO]

Despite over 2 years of intense therapy, I still tend to deny outside forces affecting me. I've finally realized how this pandemic has hit me. I'm not a hugely social person. I have 2 or 3 good friends and dammit, I miss being with them. I chose to stay home from the extended family Thanksgiving. Christmas Eve, also alone. No barn parties or get togethers. I live a few towns over from a quaint town with little shops and lots of pedestrian traffice and people watching. I love going there once a month. Nope, that ain't happening. Even the public library is closed. We can pick up books from the window, but no going inside and browsing. Now even the barn is insisting on masks (except when riding) and has taken the furniture out of the club room to avoid congregating. This best not be the new normal....

[StraightForward]

We have particularly missed going to concerts. So glad we got to see a few great shows last winter. We had tickets to a few concerts in 2020 that we bought tickets for many months in advance and were really looking forward to. Total first world problem, and we don't usually go to a ton of shows, but will be so nice to go see live music again some day.