The 4-day work week really flew by for me! Here's 5 things on my mind today, many work-related!
1. My company is enforcing the expectation to be in the office 3 days/week. I had slipped down to 2 this summer and was really liking that balance. My boss said he really doesn't care and he won't be tracking how much we are in. But the enforcement is happening because some people were never coming into the office. I could have asked my role classification to change but after talking it over with Phil, I'm going to comply and come in 3 days/week - for now. If you have a doctor appointment or something like that, it's fine to WFH that day and it seems like I have at least one appointment/month so some weeks I will be in 2 days. Pre-covid, I had to be in the office 5 days/week. So 3 is better than 5, but if it was up to me, 2 would be the sweet spot. But in an industry where we always seem to be in cost-cutting mode, it's best to not stick out by asking for an exception.
2. Being in 3 days a week makes it much more challenging to fit workouts in. Ideally, I'd like to workout 5 days/week. When it cools down, I could leave the office at 3 and run outdoors. It was too hot this week to do that as we had a weird hot/humid spell mid-week. But I could probably run in the afternoon once/week for the next couple of months. It's kind of like mental tetris to figure out how to slot workouts in. Getting to 5 workouts/week is challenging as it requires getting up at 5am (sacrificing sleep) or workout out at 7:30pm (sacrificing time with Phil) on the days I'm in the office since we leave for work/daycare drop-off at 6:45. I vacillate between telling myself this is a season of life and that 3 times/week is fine/good enough. I'm trying to focus on Laura Vanderkam's thought that "3 times a week is a habit." I know I can workout 3 times/week. But then am I cutting myself too much slack? And this mental tetris doesn't consider that I seem to be sick at least one week a month since I have a suppressed immune system thanks to my RA drugs. I wish my sleep needs were lower, but they just aren't, probably, again, because of RA so the early morning workouts aren't enticing. Aren't chronic illnesses fun? Also, I should specify that early morning/evening runs would only happen with my neighbor! The Eliza Fletcher story has horrified me and it’s a reminder that even though my chances of something like that happening to me are low, it’s not worth the risk for me. During the summer I run alone around 7 am but it’s light out then and the running paths around the lake are very busy so it feels very safe, luckily.
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| Because I am a numbers/planning dork, I have been tracking the # days of workouts (orange line) and hit 10k steps (blue line). May was the worst month for workouts since I was sick with covid for almost 2 weeks and then had kids home with me for the next 20 days when they had covid. But being in the office has had a positive impact on the # of days I hit/exceed 10k steps. |
3. Speaking of work, I am traveling again next week - this time to my company's office in Charlotte. I haven't been to Charlotte since our babymoon trip in 2017 when we traveled to Asheville. And I've never been to my company's office there. I'm presenting some training to a class of new hires but besides that the trip is all about getting face time with the portfolio managers and sales people I work with. Given how many social plans I have, you might think I'm an extrovert. I'm not. I'm an outgoing introvert and do great when I know people. It is a real struggle for me to visit an office where I don't know many people. But it's good for the people I work with to put a face/personality to my name, besides seeing me on zoom calls. But I'll be totally and completely depleted after this trip! I will get to see a couple of former co-workers while I am there, though! I lived in Charlotte for a year in 2013-2014 and while I loathed my time there, it is nice to come back to visit and see old friends.
4. Because I'm going to be gone for 3 full days, I reached out to 2 of Phil's cousins to try to plan a round of golf for him as a reward/thing to look forward to as solo parenting is not super fun, especially with a toddler. For Father's Day and his birthday, I told Phil to plan a round of golf. It's his favorite thing to do and we both appreciate the gift of time in this stage of parenting. But Phil is not great at initiating plans. So I guess I am his golf bookie since planning is my forte. I was hoping they could golf in September but it sounds like they aren't all available until October. But at least he can look forward to a round of golf in the near future. I wasn't sure how Phil would feel about me kind of going behind his back and planning this for him but he was really appreciative. This is what I did for his 40th last year - I planned 3 rounds of golf and it was a great gift.
5. It feels summer-like here but fall is on my mind! This week I bought tickets to a pumpkin event at the zoo in mid-October. It's at 7pm so it will just be Paul and me since that is too late for Will. I think Paul is going to love it. He is soooo excited about Halloween. His enthusiasm is contagious. I neglected to plan a mommy/Paul date this summer so my plan is to do that this fall and take him to an apple orchard or something like that. I can see how fun "bigger" kids are since there are more things you can do together. I'm also planning to take him to the Children's Theater to see "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" in November or December. I think we are hitting peak years for holiday excitement so it should be an extra fun final quarter of the year!
What's on your mind today?
I love the holiday excitement!
ReplyDeleteMy husband's company mandated 3 days in the office several months ago, but last week his direct boss decided to just scrap that for their team and now it's 5 days a week. It's an adjustment on all fronts.
I'm back teaching next week so I have senior's yoga on my mind today!
Figuring out when to fit in exercise when you work is so hard. I can't imagine trying to fit it in around kids' schedules, too. I think you should probably cut yourself some slack on it, though, since you need to get sleep or (I presume) that will exacerbate your chronic health conditions. Yes, it's important to move, but you need to take care of yourself in all ways!
ReplyDeleteI could not help smiling SO big at your graph. Love, love, love this :)
ReplyDeleteHolidays are SO fun at the boy's ages. I'm excited for you.
And I agree with Jenny - cut yourself MORE slack! Exercise needs to work for, not against, you and you have A LOT on your plate, make so many healthy choices to promote positive growth AND you exercise a lot. I totally understand the self-imposed pressure (I do this to myself in lots of areas, too), but as an objective bystander you are doing AMAZING, Lisa. Killing it at work, making time for friends, investing so much love and effort into your family etc.
I hope you have a fabulous weekend. I am loving this shift toward fall very much :)
I know going to office regularly seems harder than it used to be. for me, 2-3 times a week is the sweet spot too, as the other two days I can be introvert and focus on reading/writing. On the days I go to office, I have so many scheduled in person meetings and unscheduled meetings (people love to drop by and chat!), which leave me no time to actual read/write.
ReplyDeletemaybe the flexibility of not having to go 5 times a week is the positive outcome of the pandemmic, we realize the value of working from home and the companies realize that people can still perform that way.
3 days/week is definitely a habit and while I totally get that you want to fit 5 workouts in during the week, you definitely should also prioritize sleep (that is just as important!).
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you have to go into the office 3 days now. I can see how 2 days would be the sweet spot - I am currently really enjoying the 1 day in the office per week and I hope it can stay this way.
Have a great trip to Charlotte. I am sure you'll do great (although I understand that this will be a draining trip - I always feel drained after work trips, too, even if they're fun).
I love that you plan a round of golf for Phil as a "reward" for solo parenting and I love that he lets you just "plan" it for him. I am definitely the planner in our relationship, but it's difficult to make plans for Jon (so far in advance)... he never knows how he feels (dealing with anxiety) and if he'll be up for it.
I'm in a huge running group that meets very early in the morning, and no one - not one single person - who comes regularly has kids as little as yours. I didn't start until my youngest could reliably sleep through the night and be entertained by devices in the afternoon so I could get a Saturday or Sunday afternoon nap. In fact, I remember a man whose wife had twins showed up one time after they were born... and then not again until they turned 3.
ReplyDeleteThree days a week is great when they are that little. It really will get easier. And if you decide to ramp up, you'll be glad that you did something during this time. I took a whole year off when I was pregnant/postpartum with my youngest, and that was a big hole to climb out of.
One other thought - would Phil be open to the idea of the two of you doing a yoga or strength Pelaton/YouTube workout for like a half hour after the kids go to bed one night a week? I think my husband could get into a late evening couples yoga session if you know what I mean...
Sorry about the increase in office days!! It is funny how perceptions change after the pandemic. As you mentioned, you used to always be in the office 5 days a week and probably didn't give it too much thought! But once we get used to something different....well, it can be hard to go back. :) I am glad that you still get some days at home, at least, and that they are still allowing you to schedule appointments on your "in office" days, instead of sort of expecting that you would just try to line up your appointments with your WFH days. The exercise thing is just TOUGH when you work outside the home. I remember struggling so much, because when I was working in the hospital, I had to leave my house at 6:15! So pre-work was not an option, really, though I did it sometimes (it was awful. I would go to the gym at 4:30 am sometimes!! WAY WAY too early and made me feel like a zombie the rest of the day.) But then evenings were so busy with the kids, and then activities, etc as they got older. I would sometimes do workout videos at home before work, because at least there was no travel time and I didn't need to make myself presentable looking- and I could finish up and be in the shower 2 seconds later. I also did workout videos on work days after the kids went to bed- sometimes i'd come home from a 12 hour shift at 8 pm and STILL do a workout video. Who was I?!?! hahahaha. I guess that was my pre-30 year old self. lol. I hope you can find a balance. Maybe doing Saturday, Sunday and just your 2 work from home days is enough for right now- I mean, 4 workouts is plenty, I'd say. I know it's hard though if you want to, say, train for a race, or complete a program, etc. Like another commentor said, maybe just aiming for 3-4, and if you have an extra vacation day, or an extra WFH day, treat that as a "bonus" workout.
ReplyDeleteLisa, anytime you think you're being too "easy" on yourself, just come to your blog friends and we will tell you: NO, YOU ARE NOT. You are not the type of person to be "easy" on yourself! We can remind you of that whenever you need us to. :)
ReplyDeleteI think shooting for 5 workouts a week when you have two VERY small children, a busy job that includes travel, and being in the office 3 times a week is... kinda insane, lol. The mothers who also have busy jobs and small kids who can do that? They also have nannies and cleaners. And they also probably do not have chronic health conditions that require being well-rested. Rest is vital! Three workouts a week is a good goal to shoot for, and I think you should feel really, really good about doing that. That's amazing!!!
By now you are probably in Charlotte or back or close to it. I hope it went well and you could spend time with friends there.
ReplyDeleteThe Eliza Fletcher story hit me hard! I have been more and more cautious over the years about when I run solo!
ReplyDeleteI would totally plan things for Michael but he would not be appreciative 😂
I love Paul’s enthusiasm!!!!
Lori
I hope the work trip went well, that you remained well during and after it, and that you are feeling better about your amazing ability to keep up with three workouts a week when you have 2 children under 5, a full time job, and two significant chronic illnesses. You really are knocking it out of the park. And you're doing it with a smile on your face, and sharing it with us here.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are having a wonderful fall weekend with your family.