By Ecaterina Cocora
Somebody from London asked me today, “How are you managing with the new situation (COVID context)?“ My answer was instant. Writing down my response, I was thinking more, and I said to myself that might be a thought to share.
Well, considering my specific case, I might be viewed as an exception as I am working remotely since 2010, so, after 10-11 years, it is an everyday context, and I really enjoy it. 🙂
Still, I have to recognize that the periods in which we have been locked down weren’t quite lovely; living in a tide space and with all members “working from home, remotely” – I, my husband, and the kids having their classrooms online…Â
Writing back to the person who asked me, I realized that my kids’ behavior was quite ok and I shouldn’t take it for granted.Â
They took it as normality, probably because they observed our behavior, so they knew/saw how it is to work from home.Â
A couple of weeks ago, they told me that they prefer the classroom hours to be online 🙂 still, they would like to have the pauses on-site :),  naturally, of course.Â
Going back in time, when I started working from home, I remember that it was quite strange and difficult to focus, having the impression that I don’t get the results wanted. After several weeks of complaining and being annoyed by the situation, and not sleeping at night, I’ve just got enough! My brain was saying “do something!”, and I’ve done: I asked myself why I have that feeling? Is the environment? Is it because I don’t have quite clear objectives to reach? In fact, what is it? And I started by creating “an office”, my own working corner, where to go each morning, and by making the order on things, my mind gets in order, and I understood what I have to do. It wasn’t easy at all. Still, instinctively, I started with simple things.Â
Everything is related to how we perceive/consider things: if we take it as “we have to deal with it” or if we choose to go with “oh, it is so hard /difficult/etc.Â
Extrapolating the facts, it seems that if we set-up our mind correctly, we definitively can deal with a lot of things. Things that we usually post-pone doing as we consider them difficult, unpleasant, etc regardless of work, home duties, or free time.Â
This “setting-up” process is practically a set of questions through which we will increase our awareness of what makes us consider things difficult or unpleasant. Practically, instead of “feeling”, we will activate “rational thinking”.Â
Some of the support questions might be:Â
- What is the entire process?
- How can I split the process into small activities?
- What can I personally do?
- What is the difficulty that I might encounter?
- Is it a real difficulty or is it just my preconception?
- What solutions do I have?Â
And if we have too many options, then make a hierarchy and simplify. The keyword: SIMPLIFY.Â
I hope it helps.Â
It is just a thought and just a way of doing things. Other solutions?Â
Welcome to send your feedback Â