Week in Review: Week 212
Week One of Work From Home. It was interesting…a little stressful the first day or two, not exactly knowing what we were supposed to be doing or what the priorities were, given…ALL OF THIS (waving arms in air). But by the end of Day Two, after we had our first Zoom team meeting, I had a healthy to-do list and felt better for it.
For the most part, the days did not differentiate themselves from one another much. Working, not going out, looking at the cat, a little tv, a little reading, go to bed. Peaceful.
I enjoy sleeping til 7 and still having time to fix breakfast, shower, or walk before starting work at 8.
Breakfasts are a combination of the protein du jour (chicken, steak, or hamburger), hot tea, and juice. I’m trying different combinations in juicing but so far my favorite is still my basic apple, orange, grapefruit, carrot, ginger. Mid-morning snack is a rice cake with peanut butter and honey, yogurt with fruit or granola, a smoothie, or half a grapefruit with brown sugar under the broiler (yum). Lunch was tomato, bean, cheese, bacon salad for a few days and canned soup one day. One day I was so busy I didn’t stop for lunch at all. Dinner was pasta with broccoli and sausage from a big pot I made last weekend. I don’t mind eating the same thing every day if I like the thing. It’s preferable to preparing something new every day! I do miss take-out and fast food! I know what I’m preparing and eating is better for me, but…yawn.
During the day Janey sleeps on the bed or the sofa. But the second she hears a zoom video meeting start she shows up on my desk to participate.
Whenever I’m not actively typing, she crawls in for a cuddle.
One thing I have been using for work is the Pomodoro Technique. It’s a time management technique, that, in its simplest form, has you work and break in increments of 25 and 5 minutes. 25 on, 5 off, 25 on, 5 off. After four cycles of this (two hours), you get a longer break of 15-30 minutes. It works well as long as your time is your own. Obviously, if a phone call comes in or a meeting is scheduled or a task needs to be done RIGHT NOW, the Pomodoro goes out the window. But the rest of the time it’s helping me stay focused…and helps me get started on tasks I’m not looking forward to (“I can do ANYTHING for 25 minutes!”). It really wouldn’t work at work because my time is not my own at all. I don’t work in an office where I can close a door and ask to not be disturbed. My job IS to be disturbed, ha ha. But it’s nice to be able to use it now. You can use it for other things too, like housework or gardening or whatever.
I walked two mornings, just about a mile. I’m right on a hill so…no matter what, some part of the walk is uphill. Not a fan. It’s more scenic to go down first, and finish coming back uphill, but that’s harder. But going the other way, the road is less walker-friendly and not as charming.
Things are really starting to come into bloom now so it’s pretty out there and I don’t want to miss it all!
After much searching, I finally found a 5-minute stretch routine that I plan to do during two of my 5-minute breaks during the workday. I’ll let you know how that goes! I want to find a comparable lower body one, too, and alternate.
Friday was a big day as I ran some errands after work. The first time off my street since last Saturday! I expected things to seem more drastically empty, but…people are still out there.
On Saturday I just crashed. Big Time. All this…news and change and uncertainty…is exhausting. And I needed a day of None of It. So after a slow start in the morning, I read for awhile on the sofa, watched two movies, ate chips, and went to bed early. It FELT late. But once I got in bed and picked up my phone I saw it was only 8:45, ha!
And today, Sunday, was grey and rainy and I just sort of piddled. A little blog work, a little housework, you know. One of those days.
The governor has extended the order for nonessential workers in the state to remain at home through April 15. We already knew that schools would remain closed til then. They will re-evaluate the order in two weeks. So work from home continues.
Wow. This might just be THE most boring blog post ever. And if this wasn’t bad enough, I’ve written a couple other things…just sort of my thoughts or opinions or whatever…that I’m not sure if I should share them here or not. They’re not about anything really – certainly not fashion or style. They’re just me blabbing. And honestly, they’re not as boring as THIS, ha. So. Thoughts?
I don’t think I’ve finished reading anything new since last week. Usually, I have an audiobook going in the car while I’m reading something else in hard copy. But with only going out once a week, I haven’t even finished an audio book. And none of the movies I’ve watched are worth recommending. BUT…I do have a couple links to share.
One is “Google Arts and Culture.” It’s an app for the phone that shares works from all the major museums around the world, there are articles about all the different periods of art history, you can search by genre or artist or subject matter or museum…you can zoom WAY IN on paintings in high resolution and see things MUCH closer than you ever could at a museum. You can put yourself in the museum where the artwork is displayed and see what’s near it, how large it is, etc. You can even see a painting hanging on a wall in your home! I spent, literally, hours on it this morning. You can do it from your PC, too, but there aren’t as many “tools” as there are on the phone.
The Metropolitan Opera House is continuing to stream operas nightly for free. This is the third week of this, so if you want something different to watch or listen to…or to try a little opera just to see if you like it, this is perfect. The week’s schedule is all the way at the bottom of the page. Tuesday is Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia – which I only know from The Little Rascals’ Alfalfa singing I AM THE BARBER OF SEVILLLLEEEE while being pelted with rotten vegetables from the audience.
The Headspace meditation app is offering some free guided meditations during this time when we can all use a couple moments in our day to just…breathe. I try to do a 5-minute meditation once a day. I could stand to do more but…I have to work up to that!
Okay. That is all for this week. Stay safe and healthy, my friends!
xoxo
Cheryl
I really enjoyed reading your great post today, it’s uplifting to see your photos, you live in a beautiful area . Janey is very lovely and must be a good helper.
Stay safe and well,
Cheryl xo
bettyewp
I’m lucky that it’s quite charming around here which makes for entertaining walks.
Janey does, indeed, think she’s a good helper 🙂
Emma
I really enjoyed this post too – not boring at all!!
bettyewp
Thanks, Emma 🙂 I know I love reading some other bloggers just daily routines and thoughts…but when I write about my own it seems sort of ridiculous 🙂
Marceline Miller
Never a boring post! Had heard of the Pomodoro technique but glad to get a reminder! Thanks!
Would always enjoy hearing your thoughts on any subject… but i see other bloggers venture into posting political views and it’s just not a pretty thing. So i would respectfully ask for “no politics.”
To use a tired phrase, “just my two cents.”
bettyewp
Oh, def not politics. More like “how I figure out what to have for breakfast” and the downward spiral that ensues. Real significant stuff 🙂
julia
Oh Janey! The funniest co-worker ever! She loves the conference calls? She wants everyone to admire her beauty and office skills! I am loving how you are using this time for so much self-improvement: healthy eating, daily walks, stretching, arts and opera? What a great way to use this time. Really! You’ve got me thinking….. Take care my friend and keep giving us pictures of spring (ours does not look that pretty yet).
bettyewp
She’s so funny… She’s sitting just off camera next to me on the desk but she’ll keep reaching her paw in to the view to like pat my arm to say pet me pet me and The other people on the conference call can see the paw keep reaching in.
Karen
This post was so not boring! I will read anything you write. I love the distressed desktop that your computer is on. Distress is my jam! (Furniture, that is.). I also live in a hilly hood. Hmm….. up first and saunter home or saunter out and huff and puff home. Ever the question of the day. Essentrics with Miranda Esmonde-White is doing a 14 day free TV streaming. Excellent stretching! Have another great week – I love your work/life balance. xo karen
Rhonda
Thanks for the recommendation of the Google Arts app! I just downloaded it, and if my WiFi would just cooperate, I think I could spend a good deal of time exploring!
I’m sure Janey is thrilled to have you with her 24-7, and both of you can take full advantage of it! As always, your “babbling” about anything is entertaining! Thanks for being you! Take care and stay safe!
bettyewp
It’s so fun (googlearts)! Hope your wifi gets sorted out and you can play with it!
jodie filogomo
I like that idea of working and breaking. I’m terrible because I get too focused and don’t take a break…which is bad for my body.
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
bettyewp
And SOME days I go wild and do 30 minutes on/10 minutes off! Like today 🙂 It doesn’t turn into neat 2-hourses like it’s supposed to but it usually doesn’t anyway due to interruptions.
What killing my back this week is all the DISH WASHING!
Iris
Thoroughly enjoyed this post. The pictures are lovely and so sweet to see Janey. I think it’s hysterical that she wants to be included in the zoom conference.
Please do write “whatever” occasionally. It’s a nice break.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
Thanks, Iris xoxo