During this week that should be the first full week of a 4 week overseas trip, I found myself in the situation of having to move the work office home to the spare room and set it up. I found muscles I did not know I had, I know that we have a system that is antiquated and I am yet to tidy the work space sufficiently to make it truly constructive.

Having said this, I have learned that I am working as hard as I was in the office – there has been no let up. The upside has been the greater ability to schedule a break – whether I manage to take them is another matter.

It has necessitated a review of the daily routine. I get up at the same time and put on gear to exercise in. We have breakfast, my patient other half goes to his place of work by motor bike, thereby securing him a small token of release of mental health toxins because he is doing something he loves, even if it is riding to commute to work, and I go for a walk. Instead of sitting down to start the day at 7.30’ish (official hours are 8.30) I start about 8.00am. I still finish after 5.00pm and after the time said patient other half returns home from his place of work. In no way dissimilar to what was occurring last week or the week before that.

I make a point, so far as possible, of going out once a day for a coffee. To me, this is important. What is does is multiple things: 1. I get out for some sunshine (when the sun is obliging) and movement; 2. I have a break; 3. I support a local business whose trade is absolutely smashed at this time; 4. I have some people interaction.

It is easy to wander into the “office”, when you have shut down, to “just check on something”. I have done that today (even though it is Good Friday and a public holiday) because of some stuff we need to prepare for Thursday. I also limit, in my downtime, the imposition the work arrangement has on enjoyment of that time. If I don’t do this, it does me no good.

So, what have I learnt in week 1? Breaks are vital (I knew this but am reminded). Whilst we may be “social distancing”, and ordinarily I do this on my own terms, there needs to be people interaction of some sort. It is easy to go looking in the refrigerator if you are not disciplined. It is easy to over-supply yourself with coffee, if you are not disciplined. It is easy to raid the pantry, if you are not disciplined. There will be times when you can do those chores you normally leave for when you get home from work or the weekends. You can probably start dinner during a moment of downtime. An assistant is a very useful resource for all those pesky nuisance tasks that need doing like filing, printing reams of disclosure documents that you then need to go through. It brings out some of the best and some not such best in each of us along with the need, for some, to engage in exchange of information that normally wouldn’t occur (idle chat just for interaction with workmates). It’s an interesting study of how we adapt and adjust on so many levels and those around us.

What have I achieved this week? Quite a lot workwise. A renewed or revisited appreciation of social interaction. Nothing when it comes to doing the activities that help manage the brain e.g. sewing for my own interest (I have managed to lose interest in a dress I started in January but may start working on again over the next couple of days of this Easter weekend). I’ve put in 2 leave applications – for November and February in the hope that we can have the break in 10 months time that we were supposed to be having now and in November we can be away to celebrate our first anniversary. Mostly, I’ve survived, shaken my head and questioned why we are in this situation when the mathematics (which I find challenging at the best of times) does not add up in a medical situation (which I have absolutely no training about) which seems nothing worse than the flu. Please do not mis-understand me: I am very much aware of the physical impact this flu has and I have a healthy respect for it, I just struggle with how we get to this situation on Australian statistics and data. Anyways, that’s for another day in another environment. For now, week 1 is done, almost. Stay tuned for more adventures.