It is just before 2:00 p.m. and I'm sitting in my office at work, desperately in need of a nap. I've just hit a brick wall. My eyes hurt from the glare of fluorescent lights, my brain is buzzing from information overload. I'm so distracted by all of the tasks ahead of me that I am not even aware of any of the sounds or smells around me. It is so hard to be in the moment here. And it is for this very reason that I have such a love/hate relationship with office days.
I hate the commute. An hour each way in heavy traffic and turnpike construction. Today I stopped for gas. $3.65 a gallon. Up ten cents from two days ago, up thirty cents from last week. Sheesh.
I love the people I work with. Good-hearted, hard-working, goal-oriented folks, who also know how to laugh and have fun while being productive.
I hate the morning rush, the disruption to my normal routine, the lack of time for journaling or meditation.
I love the collaboration. I feel useful, grown-up, maybe even necessary when I'm here.
I hate the meeting, break, meeting, lunch, meeting pace of the day. It is simply exhausting. So much so that by the end of the last meeting I'm fried. 2:00 p.m. has come and gone. It's time to power down the computer and head home. I can finish my work day there.
I have three office days this week. I hope I survive.
For more simple moments, visit Alexa's blog!
13 comments:
Aren't those brick walls just awful?
I've always said that I don't think I could have ever worked from home .... too many distractions ;-)
Hope your week goes well
My work day was so different from this. Working with elementary school students was intense enough I rarely even thought about being tired until they all walked out of the room. The faculty meetings at the end of the day were a different matter!
I work in the classroom these days too and agree with Karen's comment - but, when we have had curriculum days and follow the meeting/conference format, it is exhausting ... and long commutes are dreadful!
Those are the days I remember that there's a reason I get paid! LOL!
Rinda
I completely relate to your post today. I too have an hour's drive to and from work each day and by the time I get home and have eaten supper am lucky if I can stay awake for the rest of the evening.
I feel very lucky to now work part time...but still hate that morning commute....even though I never have too far to travel.
Don't complain too much about the price of your gas....it costs at least twice that over here!!!!
I have the same problem with office days - I like going in occasionally, enjoy the lunch time companions, the chatter, the collaboration and yes feel a bit more grown up 'got a badge and everything...' but enjoy working from home too.
Off tomorrow for a meeting - an hour and a bit each way, on public transport though so I'll take a book to read.
Hope you make it through your week!
I'm so thankful that I don't have to do that anymore. I completely understand, and hope that by the time you read this your working week will be almost over. Could you send us some fuel? ours is double your price.
Oh I am so thankful I am retired now! But only recently - so I remember office days - and curriculum days . I always did think meetings were more tiring than any other part of my working life. J x
I know what you mean about needing a nap. When I hit the wall, sometimes, just a fifteen minute break---time to close my eyes---is all I need to rev myself back up. Hopefully, with your short work week, you'll have time to re-charge your battery over the weekend. PS Our gas in Nashville is about $3.35---lower than the national average, but it's going up!
You sound weary and drained in your moment, Cheri - and so hard when there are advantages to the work as well as huge disadvantages. Hoping you got home and could revitalise a bit. Petrol and diesel here (I've just done the conversions at £1.35 per litre) come in at 9.09 dollars per gallon: feel our pain! Thank-you so much for joining in and linking up this month, and I am hoping that it was at least a little cathartic to be able to write it down and share it :).
I know exactly what' you mean. I felt exactly that way yesterday after a dreadful commute to work! Thanks for sharing your moment :-)
I'm exhausted reading this! LOL! I guess I was in the moment with you :) Working in a cubicle I know what you mean about distractions. Hope things are going well for you!
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