Yo ho ho, a hermit's life for me

[dorchadas]

Just got an email from the top brass with the following directly-relevant parts for me:

• If you don't volunteer to return to the office in Phase 2, you will not be required to do so. In fact, for the remainder of 2020, returning to AMA offices during any phase will be on a voluntary basis.


• Employees who commute to work on mass transit will NOT be eligible to return during Phase 2, and not more than 20 employees per floor (in Chicago) will be permitted to return in Phase 2. Similar distancing parameters will be adopted in our other offices.

Since I normally take the CTA to work, that means I'm specifically banned from returning to the office. I'm very glad they're taking this seriously--there is value in working for an organization run by physicians--but it does mean that I'm suddenly added to the fulltime work from home crowd. For the foreseeable future, it's me on my couch on a laptop.

There's psychological value in that, since I can step out of my sun nook and thus step away from work, but maybe I should come up with a better work setup.

Comments

[corvi]

Is working from home overall good for you?

[dorchadas]

I realized my icon might have given a false impression after I posted this.

Overall, it's very good. I didn't have a close relationship with my coworkers and none of us were really the chatty types, so most of my time at work was just sitting in my cubicle doing work without really talking to anyone. Sitting at home means I also do that while also being able to sit in my sun nook, listen to both music and a podcast, make lunch in my own kitchen, etc. I love it and I'll be happy to stay home for as long as they'll let me.

Might get a floor desk, though!

[omnipotent]

I feel the same as you about work from home. I would listen to my coworkers when they needed to talk, but overall our office is loud and noisy and it's SO much easier to concentrate without 9,000 interruptions. Our CEO said he is not requiring anyone to return to the office, so it really sounds like he is allowing permanent work from home.

I may get a bigger desk, though I am not sure how much more bigger I would want the desk to be--I already have an L-desk that is pretty big. Decisions, decisions.

[dorchadas]

Exactly! There's a stand-up meeting area near my cubicle, and there aren't a lot of meetings there, but it's really distracting and annoying when there are. If people need a moment to "touch base" or whatever, sure, but if they're standing there for an hour...there's a reason we have meeting rooms and it's not for me to get exercise in!

I should really get a desk like that--I'm still on my couch on a laptop, and I'm not sure how much longer that's sustainable. Especially if our CEO makes the same decision.