7 years ago, I moved up the East Coast to Massachusetts, forty miles away from the LMA and down the South Shore in Plymouth. We were fortunate to buy a home with enough space for me to set up a dedicated home office. Here and there I’ve used the space for its intended purpose but generally this has been the room least utilized. Fast forward to this past March: the COVID-19 pandemic changed that, and changed, it feels like, everything else.
Normally, at this point in my blog entry, I’d transition over to a few paragraphs of relaying how project managers plan for and respond to changes during the life of any given project. We try to anticipate everything we can and construct mitigation strategies before we execute project work across our team. For me, the COVID-19 pandemic is many arctic glaciers’ and avalanches’ worth of change all at once so I’m hesitant to try and sneak in Project Management Methodology analogies. Not sure how I’d even do it justice!
In late March, inpatient bed planning created an adrenaline rush and change of pace for a week or two. Then, once we cleared that hurdle, I mostly settled into a daily routine of cloistered remote work. I’ve lost count but it’s been at least 2 months now and I think I’ve really perfected my new commute, 160 feet round trip!
Zoom has been a blessing in disguise. It’s so user friendly that I suspect it’s the nail in the coffin of WebEx, Teams, and Skype here at DFCI. Not only does it provide some version of human interaction when our video cameras are lit up but it’s probably forcing all of us to shower, change clothes, and try to do “something” with our growing bird’s nests of hair.
Zoom has also provided many of us with various moments of fun and levity. I’ll unabashedly admit to a newfound guilty pleasure of home décor voyeurism and coveting other users’ virtual backgrounds. And, during other times, I’d probably not be as inclined to join virtual happy hours and virtual lunches but I’m quickly becoming a fan. I’m learning that, during this extended remote working period, any opportunity to feed my social and extrovert personality traits must be taken.
Despite all the cheery Zoom encounters, isolation is not easy to manage. It sneaks up like a costumed character in the haunted house and it quickly and randomly catches me off guard. Nine or so weeks into this solitary confinement I’d about had enough. April showers were in the rear view, and I decided to take a couple days off and get out of the house. The decision probably felt as good as a work release program assignment feels to a maximum-security inmate.
Normally I’d take those two days of PTO and head down to see friends in my hometown at the Jersey Shore, dropping my car off for its annual wax and detail while I’m visiting. These days, that plan would probably yield me a two-week quarantine upon return, knowing what a hotbed of COVID-19 the Garden State has been. Not happening.
Plan B. Try and tackle the ever-evolving “honey-do” list. At the top? Cedar shingle the pool cabana and repaint the trim. Yep, there’s YouTube videos for that! I learned that my in-laws have some experience with this task, so I took it on, and with a little help figured out my plan, procured my materials – bought a little extra for the inevitable rookie mistakes – and away I went. Best therapy ever! Every single swing of the hammer knocked away the stress of being cooped up working at home. After the two days, with most of the work done, I felt accomplished, rested, and a little invigorated. The wife took the cabana off the chore list and I started a decent tan, too!
Next up, shingling the house, because full-time remote work remains in effect for now and I know solitary confinement will keep catching up to me. I’ll just plan to deal with it in the work off-hours. One shingle at a time.
Looks fantastic!