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Remote Donuts

Friends,
I knew working from home was going to be weird, so I had mentally prepared for some of the inevitable challenges. I decided to keep as many personal routines as possible intact . I’ve been getting-up at the same time (even though it is tempting to sleep-in due to the shorter “commute”) and have kept-up with personal grooming (showering, dressing for work, having breakfast, etc.). I got a nice desk and dedicated ergonomic space and brew a pot of coffee every morning. As for the isolation, I suppose it can’t be helped. Sure, video meetings are nice, but they can’t take the place of hallway conversations. On whole I’d say my first week working from home has been a guarded success. Still, there were a few unexpected twists.
  • Fresh air. On Wednesday afternoon I realized I had not set foot outside my house since Sunday –and quickly remedied the situation.
  • Invisible chair. The edge of my camera view catches a corner of the room with some “invisible” clutter. As it turns-out the cookie monster chair and stack of magazines was very visible to folks having video conferences with me. Needless to say, it was an opportunity for donation.
  • Being there. The added flexibility and extra hour in the day from no commute have been very rewarding. Whether it’s a quick five minute break for my son’s homework question or the chess game before dinner, I feel a lot more present.
Although there are obviously no donuts today, I was considering setting-up a recurring meeting for folks in the north office to work at the Caribou Coffee off or 120th and Zuni/Federal. Starting as early as next week, we could make it our virtual Friday hub. As an added bonus, I could bring donuts! (I’m sure they’d allow it for a “corkage” fee).

Happy Friday!
Downtown office final hurrah!

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