I always envied people having the disciplin and being able to work from home....I never could do that. Well....maybe I could, but when at home everybody and the kitchen sink needed somehting urgently...disrupting me often...and making me grumpy.
Now that our organisation is practicing safe distancing, and shut down offices since mid-March, I'm working from home...and getting grumpier as time goes by. We have daily multiple teleconferences with different departments and our pilot representatives.
We have webex's and zoom's to keep ourselves conntected and safe...and a couple days ago, I had an important after hour teleconference with my friend/colleague and our favourite desinfectant a Radler & a Capt. Morgan and rum. Needless to say, the discussion results were amazing.
Ordered two K-Drama's that I enjoy to watch, so cute. Netflix a lot and for my German dishers, I binge watch ARD und ZDF mediathek.
My dog gives me the much needed breaks, and we walk all alone in warm, sunny weather. If it wouldn't be so disconcerting, it would be quite nice.
Other than that, I'm doing really shit. nothing. nada. Just try to be really good to myself and take care of myself.
You guys are really good at keeping you active

amazing what you are all up to

Just looking out the window, the streets are emptly, police is patroling, and I see very few cars driving in the streets - Is that how the Zombie Apoclypse starts

I envy everyone who has pets now
It's normal to not be able to do anything in this situation, it's a lot of stress already. It's also difficult to start and get used to working from home and actually be productive.
These are two articles that some posters may find interesting and helpful. I can relate to this experience of the author and it really takes time to adjust to the new stressful normal.
https://utsc.utoronto.ca/...ging-pandemic-based-yearshttps://www.chronicle.com...366/#.XoCr98LWgpk.twitterand here's her initial twitter thread:
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
Academic peeps: I've lived through many disasters. Here is my advice on "productivity". First, play the long game. Your peers who are trying to work as normal right now are going to burn out fast. They're doomed. Make a plan with a longer vision. /1
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
Second, your top priority is to stabilize and control your immediate home environment. Ensure your pantry has sensible supplies. Clean your house. Make a coordinated family plan. Feeling secure about your own emergency preparedness will free up mental space. /2
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
Third, any work that can be simplified, minimized, and flushed: FLUSH IT. Don't design a fancy new online course. It will suck & you will burn out. Choose the simplest solution for you & your students, with min admin. Focus on getting students feeling empowered & engaged. /3
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
Fourth, give yourself a proper mental adjustment window. The first few days in a disaster zone are always a write-off. But if you give yourself that essential window, your body and mind WILL adjust to the new normal. Without that mental shift, you'll fall on your face. /4
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
·
Fifth, AFTER you experience the mental shift, build a schedule. Make a routine. Put it on a weekly calendar with time blocks. Wake up early. Put the most important parts first: food, family, fitness. Priority 1 is a stable home. Then add windows for achievable work goals. /5
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
Sixth, cooperate with your brain. For me, I need to ease into heavy-duty academic writing. So I do admin in the morning, and then dip my toe into papers and book projects around noon. Tick off accomplishments, no matter how small. Trust and support your mental shift. /6
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
It's unreasonable to demand your body & brain do the same things under higher stress conditions. Some people can write in a war zone. I cannot. I wait until I get back. But I can do other really useful things under high stress conditions. Support your continuing mental shift. /7
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
·
For my PoliSci colleagues: this phenomenon should change how we understand the world. So let this distract you from your work. Because the world is supposed to be our work. May this crisis dismantle all our faulty assumptions and force us into new terrain. /8
Dr Aisha Ahmad
@ProfAishaAhmad
And finally, we can check on our neighbours, reach out to isolated people, and volunteer or donate as we can. Because at the end of the day, our papers can wait.
(I am sorry if it's been posted already)