Boys night in
March 30th, 2008 Rachel
Everyday iPod Awkwardness
March 27th, 2008 RachelI use my little pink iPod far more now that we’re back in the city. Mainly for long walks and subway travels. But there have been a couple instances where those tiny earbuds are not quite embarrassing…but still, they bring a certain awkwardness to an otherwise commonplace situation. I’m sure there are more circumstances I’ll stumble upon where the same weirdness crops up…but for now, these are my top two.
Elevators: big, big no-no. especially when there are people in there…even more so when said people are having a conversation. Somehow, having something to occupy yourself with makes you the big giant elephant in the room…they can’t help but look at you like, “Is your volume really loud enough that you can’t hear us? Or are you secretly listening to every word we say? We can’t tell - and it’s making us uncomfortable.” Not fun. Not fun at all.
Taxis: Okay, I kind of figured this one was going to feel wrong. But I had to give it a try anyway. Yep - this one is also not okay and forbidden. Usually I’m not a big cab driver conversationalist…but somehow putting up that barrier and transmitting all sorts of “DON’T TALK TO ME” signals feels rude and unnecessary. Fine, I’ll be a good person, listen to him talk on his radio and stare out the window. There’s still no conversation happening…but there’s at least the option for one.
Awkwardness knows where to find me - I’ll continue to investigate.
What you can’t really see
March 25th, 2008 RachelAre the fat snowflakes whipping around the building, enticing my kittens to chase them. As annoyed as I should be that there’s snow falling and it’s almost April…I can’t help but be amused by their purring and pawing at the window.
Flying Freedom: Spring Getaway Pass
March 15th, 2008 Rachel
You have until March 20th to take advantage of Air Canada’s ridiculously good deal on flight passes for April and May. If you travel even a moderate amount, this just may be a decent enough deal for you to invest in unlimited access to North America (or just East and West regions). Having heard for a couple years now about how sweet beans this luxury is, I’m delighted to finally get to experience it myself in a few weeks. Spontaneous trips to…does it even matter?…here I come!
Telecommuting Misnomers
March 15th, 2008 RachelSo, as many of you know, I “work from home”. I’m one of a growing number of people who has a home office, the opportunity to cuddle with a kitten in between typing, and no long commute in the morning.
Some thoughts on the subject.
- It’s *not* working from home. If you work from home, you never get to “go home”. I’ve established a very clearly defined nook where I “go to work” in the morning. At night, I turn off the light in my little office and now I’m home. Yeah, yeah - I never left. But the mental separation is truly important if you’re ever going to expect to maintain a reasonable level of clarity and balance.
- Regular work hours are important. They can (and are often) long, but they’re as normal as they were when I went to an office. Usually I’m up at the same time or before my other half…and sometimes (thought not always) I’m working after he gets home. Again…it’s these crazy little routines that keep you sane and focused on the job at hand…without mistaking a typical mid-afternoon Tuesday for the perfect time for a nap or Perfect Strangers marathon.
- Take a shower already. In the morning…drumroll please…I get ready for work. Shocking right? You’re probably thinking that because I’m at home I can chill in my PJs all day and not realize I’ve lost a hairbrush for a week or so. But for me…that would be depressing. And quite honestly you never know who you’re going to run into on the street (the puppy has to go out sometime) - why take the chance looking like a vagrant?
- You can curb feeling isolated. Telephone, email, skype…etc…etc…etc…inevitably, there are times that are lonely. There are also times where you’re left out of the loop or the last to know. It happens. But instead of getting angry or passive aggressive about it…what can you do about it? Don’t try to force watercooler conversation to get the scoop on what you’re missing - you’ll sound so fake and turn people off faster than you even know. Just stay in touch. Yeah, it’s harder now and takes a bit more effort because proximity isn’t exactly on your side. But it’s achievable - especially if you remember you’re not perfect either and this is an adjustment for the rest of your team too.
There you have it - that pretty much sums up how I keep my sanity, balance, and focus as a telecommuter. The way I see it, and from past experience, letting any of these key pieces go only results in a work day that never ends and productivity that goes down the drain.
