Quarantine Chronicles: #WFH Joy No Joy

It's been 10 weeks since my company advised us to work from home (WFH), ahead of any federal orders (thank you!). I have just entered a place to be able to share my thoughts because work has kept me very busy. As a PR pro, this moment of crisis has put me and my peers on the front line to help our leadership teams communicate with employees, customers, etc. Think about how many emails you've received from businesses you patron. In the last couple of months, you've probably been thanked and appreciated to agnosia. I understand and feel your annoyance, but I respect the fact that someone had to write, create and plan those communications. Keeping busy has been a blessing in disguise for me though. My busy has kept me focused and distracted from having to reconcile my emotions with the reality of what's happening. Now the temporary state of quarantine is settling into a more permanent reality, I'm now dealing with all of my emotions and the changes required of me personally and professionally. One of the biggest changes is being confined to my home while WFH.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful I get to do the job I love and be safe from the coronavirus. I know many people aren't afforded the opportunity. However, working out of my house doesn't exempt me, or others WFH, from the emotional baggage this crisis is causing. Being confined to my home has shifted the dynamic and joy I've gotten out of WFH in the past.

This WFH stint feels different and it is in many ways. The most obvious is when I WFH prior to COVID-19, I could go anywhere. What I've learned about myself over the last 10 weeks is that I don't particularly like WFH, I'd rather work remotely. Let me share the difference between the two.

Working from home is just that, you work from some spot in your house or apartment. Remote working, on the other hand, gives you the option of working from your residence one day or a shared office, library or even the park another day. This means you can carry your laptop to the local Starbucks or your coffee shop of choice. I prefer the latter. I'm a creative, collaborative extrovert so I can only WFH for so long. I need to see the world because it inspires my creativity. I need to work in collaboration with others, share ideas and challenge thought processes. And, I'm outgoing which means I like to talk and being around other people. With my remote working options off the table, I am struggling to find that joy.

In this season of my life, I like the option of working from home, the office or whatever remote spot I can find to inspire me to get $h#t done. The shock of quarantine is wearing off and I'm over being wrong about thinking this would be over in a month, two months max. To my surprise, quarantine is the new normal. And, my prediction now is that behaviors and life in America will be forever changed. I don't see us going back to the way things were, and how I feel about WFH will be too.

For more, follow me @Malizy on Instagram. #quarantine #WFH #PRchic