I’m sure many of you are familiar with the unwritten office ritual that on a Friday or perhaps on a special occasion, there is often a bounty of food, takeaways, cake and other delicious temptations.
Red velvet cake for someone’s birthday. Chocolate mini eggs for Easter. Chocolate brownies and muffins ‘just because’. And let’s not forget fast food just because it’s Friday! This is something I now miss out on when working remotely due to the recent outbreak.
Missing out on the good stuff
I’m taunted by all the tantalising treats from colleagues via instant messages – while I’m sat here with my plate of rice, peas and chicken breast. I know that I sound ungrateful for my healthy choice of food, which was unexpectedly brought on by the vast amount of panic buying I have been witnessing; but people don’t seem to be panic buying vegetables.
Keeping healthy
In hindsight, it’s a good thing that I am unable to devour all these treats. Working from home is certainly protecting my waistline. But deep down it’s more about the social aspect side of things. I really miss celebrating with my fellow colleagues or the banter that comes with criticising someone’s bizarre or smelly lunch choice.
As of next week, I am going to be making a conscious effort to use my lunch break more proactively. This would include a short brisk walk outside. It’s hard to ignore the aches with sitting all day at your desk, especially when everything you need is simply an arm’s length away.
Working from home or remotely means that it’s imperative to have self-discipline and the ability to manage your work. My experiences will also be shared on my Twitter account – I’d love to hear from you if you are also working remotely.
Gemma Wilson
Marketing & Communications