Imagine that all of the sudden you are told to switch the hand you normally use to eat and not switch back until told so. How would you feel?
This is what's happening in our brains. We have been used to doing things the same way for a long period of time thus making it almost autopilot. I don’t mean the work that you do. I mean the routine.
The second part of the issue is that we did not take the decision to stay at home willingly. We were told to do so by our superiors. This situation makes it a bit more challenging to accept since we have always been in control of what we do and don’t do (or so we think).
The third component is the input we are receiving daily. The news continue to bombard us with new cases of infections and deaths worldwide. As a result, we start to wonder about job security, getting infected by a stranger and the fear of being one of the unfortunate people laying in the hospital gasping for a fresh breath of air.
These three points alone create a situation of stress. Self inflicted stress. The first two points attack our sense of autonomy and control. The third one conditions us to think in the negative direction instead of thinking realistic.
I always use the Yin and Yang. If we decide to think negative then we also have to include the positive side when we think about it.
More importantly is to take a look at the sign itself. Look what is in the black hemisphere. Do you see it? It is a white dot and the opposite side has the same dot. Not everything is all bad according to this sign (my interpretation of course). For every bad there is also a little bit of good.
If we think about all the bad that’s going around the world and even in our own town then it is eminent that we also think about the positives. What positives Jeury? You may ask.
Well here are a few:
Quarantined at home: You have paid rent or a mortgage to live at your place and normally just use it to eat, shower and sleep. Oh wait did I forget Netflix?
Home Office: No makeup, business attire, colleagues distracting you (children are not colleagues).
Coronavirus infection: It has shown us how connected we are around the world, how we have been donating masks and equipment to help others in need, solidarity at it’s best, you are staying home to not get infected and to also not infect others.
Too much free time: Didn’t you want to start a project and due to working so much it had not been possible? Well here is your chance. As for me, I have started filming my new online course on how to communicate with anyone and make a long lasting impression.
Face to face interaction: We have taken in-person meetings, chat with colleagues and being around amazing human beings for granted because we have dove our noses down and worked. Now that we don’t have it at the moment, we get to experience how much we actually miss it as mundane as it may seem. So when we go online and we see their faces during the meeting, we get a sense of joy to see them again.
To reflect on what is happening inside of us. How are we reacting to every media coverage of the pandemic. How will we carry on after this is all over? Will we be the same after this or will something change within us that will bring out a new you?
This world pandemic has reminded us how extremely important life is and that we only have one to live. The world will be different after this therefore we must also evolve together with it.
Let's take this time to think about what is really important to us and to not just focus on the negative but also on the positive. To enjoy the things around us that we have taken for granted for so long. It is also time to appreciate one another and work as a team to protect one another and to evolve together not as a culture or a nationality but as humans.
Remember that thoughts are live venom. If you think poisonous thoughts, it will spread all over your life. AND NO, it is not about thinking about positive thoughts. It is about thinking realistic and knowing that not everything is bad or good. There is a bit of both in each individual situation. So the next time you think about hating home office, see if you can find a way to think the opposite that would disprove your initial thought.
As a result, this will help you have the right attitude towards your day and not only that but help you create a feeling of joy that will help you find ways to make things better for you and for the lives of others.
I would love to hear your opinion on this topic.
#homeoffice #workingfromhome #home-office #homeofficetips
See you on the next one.
Sincerely,
Jeury Tavares
