At least getting back to the office means
A lot has changed over the past two years, but for me the biggest shift was having to work from home.
This was initially greeted with excitement at no more commuting, no more expensive sandwiches, coffees or arriving home late after an unexpected task and I got to see the twins during the day.
This imagined gentle co-existence, where we all interacted at appropriate times and places was going to be my new routine, but we needed boundaries.
Initially, I made a show of shouting ‘I’m off to work’ and waving goodbye, before sprinting up to the spare room.
It was a good fortnight before I heard Emma at the door whispering to her
sidekick, ‘he’s in there’. And with that the magic was over, which brings me on to how we made working from home with a pair of four-year-olds possible. STEP ONE was to buy a small lock for the door. At first it felt odd locking myself in, but I adapted. Only the once did Thomas use the washing basket as a battering ram, while I was attempting to be professional on a Zoom call as a loud clattering echoed in the
background.
STEP 2 is to only leave the room for a fire or toilet break. Don’t just saunter out for a chat and a snack because it’ll develop and next thing,