Like many people all over the world, right now COVID-19 is tanking my daily routine. Rather than wake up early each day… Shower & brush my teeth… Pick out clothes – get dressed – groom my hair – and then make the typical commute to work (choosing from a few different paths I like driving to enjoy traffic)…
My days have turned into waking up, going from my bed to my computer, and maybe getting dressed at some point. No matter how much I try to spice it up – there’s only about one real way to get from my bedroom to my makeshift office/productivity corner.
It’s easy to get lost in how mundane all of it can be.
BUT – you don’t have to go the route of the super-bored home worker (if you’re fortunate enough to A) have a job in the current U.S. job climate and B) get to work from home through it all)!
I strongly believe we have a unique opportunity – RIGHT NOW – to learn and do more, on a personal level, than we’ve ever had in our daily lives before in modern times. Those of us who have families in our homes with us (I don’t – but, hey) will likely not see another opportunity like this in our lifetimes (hopefully) to bond with our kids, significant others, pets – you name it!
When else, besides this extraordinary COVID-time, do you think you will get to focus this much? Unless you’re actively pursuing it, you really don’t have the usual “ongoing distractions” or social obligations of everyday life drawing on your physical time.
To do any of this, you’re going to have to adjust, if you haven’t yet. A friend shared this great video with me back when COVID was really picking up steam.
Once you’ve done that (or something like it) – your “at home world” is your oyster!
Learn to cook that thing you always wanted to try. Read – or hell, WRITE – that book you always wanted to finish. Workout between meetings in pursuit of your ultimate sexy summer bod (hey, you don’t need weights or equipment to do push-ups or sit-ups). Finally clear out your Netflix queue. Start that business you always dreamed of starting – and if now isn’t the time to start it, at least take the major mental step of thinking through & scribbling down a business plan.
The possibility of RIGHT NOW is only as limited as your mind is allowing it to be.
You can grow closer to others around you in odd ways because of this shared experience. You can speed things up as much as you want, or finally slow things down to enough of a crawl so that you can finally do something most people never do: Relax.
Do not take this time for granted.
And please don’t complain about any of “RIGHT NOW” if you can help it.
There are people who don’t have jobs right now (as of this posting, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics has U.S. unemployment at roughly 7%). People who have to go out into the world and risk their health each day because they’re either considered “Essential” or their job is very adamant about them coming in. Some have to go out to maintain their livelihood because they can’t afford to do anything else. And PLENTY of people would rather be “stuck at home” with their kids or friends vs. being away from them and then coming home – risking exposing them to something terrible and unseen.
What I’m saying is that you don’t have it that bad if you’re working from home right now. Not in this particular-sense, anyway. Please… Do not forget that.
I know that’s easier said than done on some days, but we can’t get caught up in moments. Rise above whatever fog you’ve been in, and see the brightness of each new day that you’re lucky enough to be alive. The world is only as dark as you allow it to be. Quoting a book I read recently…
[J]oy doesn’t come from your circumstances. It comes from your disposition.
Life is Good: The Book – Bert and John Jacobs
That feels like a good place to leave this one. Enjoy your RIGHT NOW.
Peace, and thanks for reading.
The soundtrack for this post provided by…
Image Credits:
Cover Image © StunningArt (Shutterstock)