Why I’m Choosing to Go Back To Work (As my Office slowly Reopens)
When I first started working for my company three and a half years ago, I was immediately impressed by how well they treated their employees. They kept a board by the employee entrance that celebrated work anniversaries and I noticed right away that a majority of my new coworkers had been working there for 15 years or more. Some people had even worked their for close to 30+ years!
If that isn’t a sign of employees being happy with their work environment, then I don’t know what is.
All of that is to say that I wasn’t surprised when they immediately jumped into action back in March to come up with a work from home plan for a majority of employees. One Friday afternoon I was sent home with a Surface Pro and a g headset and I’ve been working from home ever since.
It’s been quite a few weeks now and while I’m very thankful to have a job and still be bringing home a paycheck every two weeks, I’d say that I’m definitely ready to go back. My state opens up next week which means that our office will be opening back up on a voluntary basis as well.
I’ve talked with some of the other employees in my department and it seems like I’m the only one who wants to go back to the office at this point in time. But I have a couple of reasons why I prefer to return to this office at this time.
I Miss My Schedule
I used to set my alarm for six o’clock everyday. I used to pack a healthy lunch to take into the office. I used to have a reason to shower and put on a nice outfit.
Now I’m lucky if I roll out of bed at seven fifteen and run a brush through my hair before pulling it into a sloppy bun.
I like the constructs in my life that force me to follow a schedule and stay organized in my life.
My Dog Needs Her Routine
I love being around my dog all day, every day. And I think she likes having me around as well. I put her bed right next to my desk and she sleeps in the sun while I get my work done everyday.
But now that I’m home all the time, I think she gets upset when I finally leave. More often than not I’ve come home to accidents on my carpet. As of right now, it looks like I’m going to have to start crate training her again.
I Want The Professionalism
I like sitting in my work cubicle. I like the familiar sounds of our work printer acting up and one of us having to replace the paper. I like having easy access to the things I need to complete my job, like resources that are only available in our office.
It’s the little things, I suppose.
Of course there will be rules to follow. We’ll have to wear face masks when not in our cubicles and there will be a limit to how many people can be in the lunch room. I’ll be careful about wiping down my desk and keeping my workspace clean.
And I’m sure conference calls will still be the norm, rather than in person meetings.
But it’s a start! And for that I am thankful.
