Quarantine Life: Working From Home

quarantineThis week marks the fifth week of quarantine, friends — or is it the sixth week? I seem to be losing track of the days here. Time certainly seems pretty irrelevant right now, doesn’t it?

Take my schedule for working from home, for example. Right now, it feels pretty much nonexistent, which sounds strange because, umm, HELLO, I’ve worked from home the majority of the week for years now.

So…I told myself that last Wednesday would be the day I’d get back to work. I even gave myself an extra week off for my “spring break” and yet…the motivation just isn’t there. Pitching, blog posts — it all seems so overwhelming right now.

But the world is overwhelmed right now, isn’t it? Everything is so precarious, especially on the medical front, but also when it comes to our social and emotional well-being too. The life we knew is changing forever, so continually processing where we are and where we’re going can feel like quite the feat sometimes — OK, it feels like a huge feat all the time!

It all got me thinking about connecting, especially when it comes to working from home during the quarantine. With so many people working from home, I thought it would be cool to see photos of people’s home office! So! Earlier this week, I tweeted, asking people to show off their office digs, complete with this photo of my space — our kitchen table, complete with my framed viral tweet and a Diet Coke, of course! And I love all the responses, including all the cat co-workers out there!! Check out the thread if you haven’t yet — it will definitely make you smile!

I may have experience with working from home, but my mom? Not so much. I applaud her and every single teacher for all they’re doing and I’ve asked my mom to write about her experience today. Her words, as always, are incredibly wise…

quarantineWorking from home is not something I have ever even thought about in 27 years in education. I mean, 650 kids in my house? LOL. Not to mention my short attention span when I am at home (Oh, look, dishes…better put in a load of laundry….is the mail here?). You get the idea!

So, when we started this quarantine (I couldn’t even spell quarantine then, now it just rolls off my keyboard!), I couldn’t imagine what it would be like. However, things have settled into a nice routine. That doesn’t mean, though, that it’s a “fun” time. As we all know, there is a boatload of worry with what is happening with COVID-19. Lots of sadness and fear are present in our country right now. When this first happened, I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of sorts and unproductive. Then, I did some Googling and found out that’s a real thing from the stress and worry that everyone is under. I have since tried to be more gentle with myself and encourage Melissa and Janelle to do the same. Of course, that doesn’t mean that things are hearts and roses over here. You should have been here yesterday when the three of us were all melting down at the same time. But, we got through it and today, at 5 p.m., which is a bad time around here, we promised each other that we wouldn’t have another day like yesterday, and we all calmed down.

During this time, I hope all of Melissa’s readers can take our advice and try to be gentle with yourselves. Stay healthy and safe, friends, and follow the recommendations for social distancing to keep everyone healthy! Be well…

In Which I Have a Realization About Writing

WritingConfession: I’ve been having trouble writing during the quarantine. Actually, I’ve been finding any sort of motivation hard to come by in the last couple months.

Don’t get me wrong: I know my lack of creative juices is small potatoes compared to what others are going through with COVID-19. Life is so scary and unpredictable in 2020 and we’re all struggling to make it through the day. Some days seem to be easier than others, don’t they?

So when I was looking through the 600+ drafts of blog post ideas I have saved, desperately trying to find something, anything, to write about, I came across a conversation I had with my writer friend Laura.

Coincidentally, we were talking about writing and I had a realization: So much of writing happens when we’re not actually writing. That might sound a bit counter-intuitive, but it’s true, at least for me. As I always say, “my mind is always working” — thinking of ideas, fleshing out bad ideas, even writing the beginnings of pieces in my head. And, maybe what’s even more interesting is that I’m thinking about writing even when doing the most ordinary of tasks, like brushing my teeth. I’ve thought of so many ideas for pitches while staring off into space as I brushed away all the plaque — that’s sort of amazing, isn’t it?

I suppose, then, that in my current dry spell, this idea of not-working working is somewhat of a comfort. Because, really, writing isn’t just about the actual act of sitting down and typing. Even when I’m just thinking about writing, I’m being productive! It’s all part of the process. Yes, I do wish I could try and speed up the “process” sometimes (and, yes, I have tried that in the past), but maybe the lesson in all of this is that I should just trust that process more? I figure it can’t hurt, right?

Do you sometimes find that you spend more time obsessing about writing than actually doing it? Think about writing than actually sitting down and actually doing it? That obsession gets in the way of the act itself, I’ve found. It’s something I’m definitely going to try and work on, friends… xoxo

Coronavirus: Navigating Our New Reality

CoronavirusCoronavirus. COVID-19. Quarantine. Social distancing.

Just a few months ago, these words weren’t part of our vocabulary — especially those first two words. We were simply living our day-to-day lives, completely oblivious that it was all about to change.

If that sounds like the opening lines of a sci-fi or horror movie, well, you’d be right. And for the last two weeks (has it really only been TWO WEEKS?), our lives have felt exactly like one of those movies. We feel like we’re living on a movie set each time we turn on the news or open up the morning newspaper. The only difference between us and those movies? Ours is reality.

As the entire world grapples with the coronavirus outbreak, we’re all trying to adjust to this new normal in our lives. After my mom’s guest post last week, I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to say about all this because the past few weeks have been confusing and scary. It’s 2020 and we’re facing a pandemic — what can we do? Who do we turn to? How do we make it through the day?

I won’t pretend to have all the answers, of course, but I do know that we’re all in this together. To help us navigate our uncertain future, here are three things I’m trying to keep in mind…

CoronavirusStay informed

Science is our best defense, so it’s important to turn to the experts in the science community right now: Doctors, nurses, infectious disease experts and epidemiologists, just to name a few. They’re the ones on the front lines, taking care of patients and working around the clock to flatten the curve and contain the spread of COVID-19. Agencies like the CDC, World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health are great sources of accurate, reliable information.

Plus, look to journalists and reporters who are asking the tough questions and bringing us the news we need. Check out The New York Times and CNN for up-to-the-minute. And journalists like Jake Tapper, Jim Acosta, Charlotte Clymer, Molly Jong-Fast, Yashar Ali and Yamiche Alcindor? They’re all tweeting news in real time.

Also, here’s a great piece on where to find the best info to stay informed and safe.

A few more words about accuracy: Please make sure you’re using the correct terminology when it comes to talking about the virus. It’s coronavirus or COVID-19. It’s NOT the Chinese virus, as a certain “president” insists on calling it.

This is racist and xenophobic. This is coming from a “president” who is racist and xenophobic. He’s using this racist rhetoric to further shift blame and instill hate. The consequences are very dangerous and very real, as outlined in this wonderful article by my writer friend Jennifer Chen.

Stay home (if possible)

Yes, I understand that it is essential that some people go to work, but to everyone who is still going here, there and everywhere during amidst the coronavirus: I guarantee that you’re not going to suffer if you can’t go to the bar or frolic on the beach for spring break. But you know who could suffer???

The elderly

Those who have compromised immune systems

So quit being selfish and STAY HOME. There will be plenty of time for in-person socializing and shenanigans once it’s safe again for everyone! Please do your part to help as much as you can!

Stay connected (virtually, of course!)

As the virus continues to spread, social distancing has become a priority. We’re staying home. We’re self-quarantining. But while we do that, there’s no denying that being so isolated can wreak havoc on everything from our mood to our productivity level. Thank goodness for things like social media, FaceTime and virtual Netflix movie parties!

Here are 7 tips for thriving while social distancing. What have you found helpful and essential, friends?

CoronavirusFinal note…

While many of us are staying home to combat the coronavirus, let’s be sure to thank those who are on the front lines working to keep us safe while we self-quarantine…

Healthcare workers, doctors, nurses and CNAs who are taking care of our loved ones

Grocery personnel who are keeping stores open

Truck drivers who are delivering to restock those stores

Police and firefighters who are still on-call

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO…

How are you doing? I know things feel weird and lonely and just plain scary right now…I’ve been feeling all those emotions. It’s OK to feel all that, so be gentle with yourself today. I’m here for y’all and I love you! We’re all in this together, remember… xoxo

(I’m on spring break this week, but will still be active on Twitter and Instagram, so be sure to follow me there! I’ll be back to regular posting on Wednesday, April 1st.)

[First photos via Unsplash; mental health chart from Real Depression Project)