Snowed in again
For the 2nd day straight Cincinnati was ice - snowed in. Schools were cancelled and the roads were a mess. We told Amber to stay home today, it wasn't worth risking it for her to get here. Arnie and I would both work from home. The kids of course think this is great, but also get a bit upset when they realize this doesn't mean we are going to be sledding all day.
Thankfully between all our neighbors being home to, we actually got some work done. It's times like this when you realize how lucky we are with the technology we have. We could both be on the phone at the same time, either on speaker, with a ear piece, cell phones, blackberries and our normal lan line. It was funny to hear everyone's reaction when they would hear the kids in the background. It is totally normal and people were fine with it, at one point the women who works for me had her 7 month old on her lap cooing, my kids are playing pbskids on the computer which is singing and the singletons or empty nesters on the phone were just loving it.
I have gotten pretty comfortable working in informal "flexible" arrangements. I often start my day at home, drive to one site for a meeting and then on to my normal site and desk. As you advance in the company and have mentees spread out all over town across the sites, and corporate committees or teams you are on, it requires a bit of flexibility. The blackberry helps, as does wireless just about everywhere. The key is for you to be comfortable. Some people need to be at their desk with their "stuff." Others would prefer to always work at home and be on the phone. My husband was the polar opposite of that when he worked on a sales team, he couldn't wait for them to open an office so he could see people.
What I like to tell people who ask for advice on how to manage it all...the key is getting your work done. No one really cares how you get it done or where you are so long as it gets done. Of course you need to be accessible to people and can't live in a hole, but outside of that, it can get done in any way in my mind. These past two days have hopefully taught people that.
Just remember to take your laptop home. I remember the days when I would lock it in my drawer each night. Then I had Ben and all it took was one fever and him staying home without me having my laptop to teach me a lesson. It comes every day now, often spending the night in my car, never making it inside...but I am prepared just in case.
Thankfully between all our neighbors being home to, we actually got some work done. It's times like this when you realize how lucky we are with the technology we have. We could both be on the phone at the same time, either on speaker, with a ear piece, cell phones, blackberries and our normal lan line. It was funny to hear everyone's reaction when they would hear the kids in the background. It is totally normal and people were fine with it, at one point the women who works for me had her 7 month old on her lap cooing, my kids are playing pbskids on the computer which is singing and the singletons or empty nesters on the phone were just loving it.
I have gotten pretty comfortable working in informal "flexible" arrangements. I often start my day at home, drive to one site for a meeting and then on to my normal site and desk. As you advance in the company and have mentees spread out all over town across the sites, and corporate committees or teams you are on, it requires a bit of flexibility. The blackberry helps, as does wireless just about everywhere. The key is for you to be comfortable. Some people need to be at their desk with their "stuff." Others would prefer to always work at home and be on the phone. My husband was the polar opposite of that when he worked on a sales team, he couldn't wait for them to open an office so he could see people.
What I like to tell people who ask for advice on how to manage it all...the key is getting your work done. No one really cares how you get it done or where you are so long as it gets done. Of course you need to be accessible to people and can't live in a hole, but outside of that, it can get done in any way in my mind. These past two days have hopefully taught people that.
Just remember to take your laptop home. I remember the days when I would lock it in my drawer each night. Then I had Ben and all it took was one fever and him staying home without me having my laptop to teach me a lesson. It comes every day now, often spending the night in my car, never making it inside...but I am prepared just in case.
posted by Millennium Mom at
2:15 PM
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