WFH Starts with Working from Dawn
Source: Unsplash.com
Here’s a bit of irony … I’m writing this blog post at 3:47am my local time. And the blog post is about new working habits during the pandemic.
I’ve read a few articles recently about how WFH has changed our work habits. I think we’ve figured that out. But when Starbucks recently revealed some of its results during COVID-19, the company also revealed some very revealing (some may say scary) observations about shifts in consumer behavior.
Because many people are working from home, they are actually starting to work from the minute they get up. Or “working from dawn” as some have said.
Case in point right here.
Gone are the rituals of the morning that for many included breakfast, exercise, reading the news, a commute, and yes, a trip to Starbucks. Gone. We are making a cup of coffee at home while we immediately catch up on the many emails we’ve gotten from colleagues who are also at home who worked late at night. Because now we are also working from midnight too, just to get up and start working from dawn, again.
We jump right into the day. Many times right from bed. Right from where we likely finished our last email before turning out the lights.
And if there is a Starbucks run for the day, many are taking that break mid-morning to turn away from work for just a moment. Perhaps to turn away from video conferencing for just a moment. And then maybe another one later on mid-afternoon, again to just take a moment.
Case in point right here.
Our days start working from dawn with moments of respite here and there … so we have to be purposeful about it and schedule those breaks. I have to block an hour each day to exercise. I never had to do that before because it was just a part of my morning ritual! Now it has to be a different time slot each day depending on that day’s list of Teams calls, but I still block it. I have to block it.
I’m not complaining and I am so appreciative that my work can continue from home. But is is validating to hear observations from one of my favorite brands (Starbucks) and others who have reported similar findings … for those of us working from home, our days are dramatically different from what our work lives looked like nine months ago. We appreciate the acknowledgement!
It’s important to acknowledge it … so thank you Starbucks and others for doing that. It’s important to embrace it. And it’s important to make the changes necessary in your day to help cope with it. Just writing this blog post is helping me to cope with it.
So yes while work breaks before used to be more beginning and end of day, we now need to take them throughout since our days never really officially start nor officially end.
Let’s continue to support each other as we continue to alter our lives to make the best of what we’ve got.
What’s your experience? JIM