Working remotely, fortunately, isn’t new to me. I started a full-time remote position with BeeBole Timesheet last year, and while I was certainly happy about this shift when it happened, now I’m just grateful.
I’m writing this post from my apartment in Seville, Spain, where the entire country is on lock down. While it would be quite easy to focus on the downsides of this situation, I refuse to. My friends and old colleagues, many of whom work in the tourism industry, are facing salary reductions and being let go. Their future, like many other people’s around world, is uncertain, and there’s nothing I can do to help that. All I can in this situation is my small part.
I’m staying home as much as humanly possible, only going out when the fridge is empty or the trash needs to be taken out. I’m paying the woman who came to clean my house, even though I’ve asked her to stop coming. I’m not hoarding toilet paper or hand sanitizer. I’m visiting local produce shops and the market instead of large grocery stores. I wash my hands an insane number of times a day. At 8:00 every night, I (along with all my neighbors) open my apartment windows and applaud the health workers who are doing their best to treat those who are suffering the worst.
I’m taking this as (an albeit forced) chance to slow down. What other option do I have? I have nowhere to rush to in the evenings, no friends to catch up with in the center, no errands to run. I’m spending more time in the kitchen, reading more than I’ve been able to in years, and trying to get small morning workouts done in my living room. I take deep breaths, and remember it’s all about perspective. My husband and I are both lucky to have remote jobs that aren’t being directly affected by coronavirus. We don’t have kids sent home from school or daycare to watch. We have a well-stocked super market and a handful of local shops nearby. Not everyone has these luxuries.
The chances of this lock down being extended to an entire month (or even longer) are growing every day, but I don’t focus on that. Instead, I focus on one day at a time. I focus on being present, and being there for my friends and family who are struggling. I focus on this forced opportunity to slow down, to appreciate everything I’ve been taking for granted so long.
How we’re all going to get out of this is still up in the air. The economy’s already taking a hit, people are losing their jobs, and it’s most likely going to get worse before it gets better. Now, more than ever, we need to all do our part. One day at a time.