The fact that I was among the few that retained their jobs after the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, was motivating, especially after putting into perspective the helpless situation of the many that were not as lucky as I was, as they ended up losing their jobs abruptly without notice.
Faced with the ‘new normal’, I had to promise myself to sincerely put in the required working hours as though working from the office. This I did without fail as I realized the best way to achieve it was to follow the same morning routine as I would when reporting to office for work – that is, wake up at the exact time, shower, have breakfast and dress up appropriately as one would normally do for work. This obviously required discipline and integrity.
To minimize distractions, I turned what used to be a store room into a small working office; equipped it with a desk, a chair, and appropriate lighting in the event of participating in online meetings, of which, the latter turned out to be the best way of communication during the height of the pandemic.
In an effort to maintain serenity, I even stuck a `do not disturb unless very urgent’ note on the door to keep my partner and the kid at bay!
Being the outgoing person that I am, who abhors long hours in solitude, working from home was tough at first, but over time I got used to spending the eight hours at my desk, with a few minutes of stretching in between during the morning and afternoon sessions.
The working from home experience really challenged me, as it put me on a learning curve for instance, I learnt new online communication skills such as Zoom, and Go to Meeting, amongst others. I also gained better concentration levels, especially when researching a subject or a certain topic.
Lastly, working from home demanded so much from me as to be able to deliver on the job, since my new working environment was not really monitored that much. I wouldn’t have achieved anything substantial if I wasn’t a person of integrity, and one who possesses good working principles and strong virtues that I hold dear.