Working in Solitude During a Pandemic

Founder and Creative Director - Faces of Gippsland

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As an extrovert I live for social interaction and especially thrive it big groups. In my day-job, usually I travel around Gippsland a few days each week to meet with community groups and individuals impacted by drought and bushfire. For the last few weeks, like many others, I’m working from home in solitude.

A quote on twitter reminded me that these are extraordinary circumstances.

Neil M Webb said, “You are not working from home; you are at your home during a crisis trying to work”.

Others who are regularly remote workers could surely give advice on how to be more productive when not in a traditional shared-office environment. So far I’ve downloaded at least three resources on the topic. For now, I’m just here putting my hand up to say I’m finding it hard. Even my introvert friends are telling me they’re reaching their working-solo limits.

While overwhelmingly I feel gratitude that in a very uncertain time in our world, I’m able to work remotely, it dawned on me this week that I am also grieving.

Grieving the loss of diversity in my week, the energy I get when I’m around others and the buzz I get from public speaking in a room full of people I’ve never met.

While I can make a long list of things I’m loving about working remotely; the proximity to our refrigerator is at the top of the list. I think it’s ok to acknowledge we’re struggling in these unique times and to give ourselves permission to grieve the things in our pre-COVID lives we’ve had to step back from.

This week I’ve made time to practice my own style of daily meditation which is to sit in the sunshine, drink coffee and watch my chickens scratch in the dirt. Last night we dragged the kids away from their screens to make pasta from scratch and since school has gone back, we’ve added remote learning into the mix too.

I hope that amidst the chaos and uncertainty you can embrace the slow and while we acknowledge the emotions that are present at this time and contribute to flattening the curve by staying at home.

Phoebe Rae

Founder and Creative Director - Faces of Gippsland

I'm Phoebe Rae, the founder and creative director Faces of Gippsland

I'm passionate about sharing stories of those in and from the region of Gippsland

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