Working from Home

The pandemic brought with it many gifts - many horrific, however, there was one that was well received. Work from home! Oh how I have enjoyed sitting at my laptop in my home office with my PJs on, like a samurai warrior tackling my day with efficiency (one hopes). There is just one thing that has bothered me through it all.....the lunch situation. That is an absolute disaster.

Now everyone who knows me knows that I am a MAJOR foodie. In my priority list food rates pretty high.....(not before my kids thank god! Imagine trying to explain that to them). Now couple that with the fact that in an Asian household you are taught from childhood the importance of meaningful eating - distraction free. This aides digestion, reduces stress, is a more holistic approach etc. Now......imagine trying to do that during the work day. My daily schedule is pure chaos with the poor stomach left out to dry. Simple biological functions have to get onto your schedule to be fulfilled, most days.

At least, when you are physically in the office, people see that you've got your lunch out so they give you the space to finish eating before interrupting your 30 seconds of Zen. However, you have no such luck when you are remote. As it is - it ends up being an endless array of calls and meetings all through the day. To top it all I follow intermittent fasting and break my fast at about 11:30 Am (should be 12 but who is counting a measly 30 minutes).

Watching my clock, 11:30 comes around and my colleague is going on and on about some projection/reforecast or some blow up that has happened in the budget. All I can think about is my empty stomach.

I hurriedly attempt to end the conversation "let me think about it and I'll get back to you." All the while really thinking that I have 30 minutes to myself before the next meeting. I can quickly raid the kitchen and grab whatever was leftover from last night. Another 20 minutes later I have success. Now with only 10 to go - I get up to go. Just as I move out of my chair my Teams dings once again for some other hot topic that needs to be discussed "now". My heart sinks as those 10 minutes are swallowed up by another issue that needed to be dealt with. I look at my calendar and sigh, that's two hours back to back now. The minutes turn into an hour and then two while my mind is distracted by my rumbling stomach which is doing cart wheels at this point. At 2:00 PM I finally get another half hour break in my schedule and feel like the king of the world. I block that time to go grab a quick bite. No leftovers - we ate it all last night. Damn! Ok another day of sandwich it is. I quickly slap a slice of cheese between two slices of bread and rush back to my desk to eat while answering emails. Just as I pick up my sandwich to take the first bite the contractor who was expected anytime between 8AM-5PM rings the door bell.