It's the Final Countdown
Switch now to working _from_ home. In this event you replicate everything that would normally be done in the work environment - meetings, teaching, tutorials, ad hoc phone calls, queries from colleagues and/or students, planning, marking, responding to latest changes to regs etc
and now add:
- dog wanting to ..............play/ be fed/ be let out/bark (insert as relevant)
- next door neighbour ...... mowing/shouting/trampolining/digging/sweeping (insert as relevant)
- parcel delivery for the whole row as you are visibly home (sitting in front window at "office")
- window cleaner who seems to come with alarming regularity, usually just as you start to chair a virtual meeting, and sets the dog barking
The boundaries become blurred and it can be extremely difficult to switch off - and with so many virtual meetings you are inviting many more people into your home environment than you would normally wish to.
So, please spare a thought for anyone working from home during this pandemic, it has been a hard slog (and will continue to be for those in Higher Education and others who are still working _from_ home).
As I write this post it is my final week at "work". I use "-" as I am feeling it is much more than that. Yes, I am leaving behind stress levels, other people's timetables and rules, office politics, 12 hour working days etc. However I am also leaving behind my professional identity, esteemed colleagues, purpose, structure and of course a decent salary. So I have mixed feelings at the moment.
Last week I used up annual leave entitlement so I thought I would do a practice run at being retired. Here are my reflections:
- Sony movie channel has started showing Christmas films - will my days be wasted or enhanced if I structure this into my daily routines?
- The pressure to "make leave count" as in rushing around to fit everything in and feel as though you've had a break from the norm has gone. Instead I kept reminding myself that in a week's time I will have all the time I need to...... create/garden/visit a castle/walk in nature/stay in bed (insert as relevant) and so my week felt extremely relaxed.
- The requirement to go to bed at a certain time because I have to get up at a certain time has been removed. My time becomes my own .....this may be the one singular thing that makes early retirement worthwhile
- when you tell people you are retiring most will ask "what will you do". In some ways this creates an expectation that "doing" is the most important thing. I've thought about this and actually I think "being" and "becoming" are as important if not more important. I intend to find out who I am without a label, be who I am without a label and become the best version of me. The "doing" will be part of that - however from now on I will ask people what they would like to become on retirement rather than what will they do.
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On the down side I seem to be of a mindset that I only have one more payday before retirement and pension kick in so I too am making this count. I've probably spent it three times over with the mantra #best get that before I retire. This can be anything from.... new toaster/clearing of the garden/makeup/christmas presents/champagne to celebrate retirement (I don't drink!) (insert as relevant)
And so begins the final countdown (tell me you sang that!). Today is may last Monday and is the first week of semester. Under normal circumstances I would be up at 6am to get into the traffic by 7am to get to work by 8.30am to start teaching my new module at 9am. I would teach all day until 4pm where I would go back to my office, deal with any urgent emails/messages etc and leave to join the traffic. Home by 6pm and then a quick bite, walk the dog and in the virtual classroom for 7pm to start my next module with our on line master's students. Finish at 8.30/9pm. Maybe an hour in front of the tv with a well earned cuppa then off to bed to start the process again. Instead, whilst I am still responding to any emails that require me to tie up any loose ends, there is very little for me to do. I will go into the virtual classroom tonight as the new module leader starts the module just to say goodbye to that cohort.
I am also starting to see what could be an abyss opening up before me - how will I spend my days? who will I be? how will I know who I am? how will I know what to do? will I have enough money to pay bills and have some sort of existence? Time will tell, but I intend to utilise my skillset as an occupational therapist and attack this in the same way I attacked my diabetes diagnosis. I realise that as an introvert it would be very easy for me to shy away from networks and engagement and live in a world of my own making. In order to counteract that. one of my intentions is to start vlogging - I just have to find my "voice" and what you might want to see/hear/know about life after retirement. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.
If you are interested in reading the blogs taking me through the full journey please see the links here:
Post 1: Hurtling gently towards retirement
https://ichabodsday.blogspot.com/2020/08/hurtling-gently-towards-retirement.html
Post 2: The final countdown
https://ichabodsday.blogspot.com/2020/09/its-final-countdown.html
Post 3: Start where you are and change the ending
https://ichabodsday.blogspot.com/2020/10/start-where-you-are-and-change-ending.html
Post 4: Of distractions, structure and productivity
https://ichabodsday.blogspot.com/2020/10/of-distractions-structure-and.html
Post 5: Of Freedom, Dame Maggie and knowing that leggings are the work of Satan
https://ichabodsday.blogspot.com/2020/11/of-freedom-dame-maggie-and-knowing-that.html
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