POST #11: The Adventures of Working from Home with My Four-Legged Co-worker
There's an often unspoken appreciation for the opportunity to work from home, a unique blend of gratitude and occasional frustration that anyone in a similar position will likely understand. Indeed, I count my blessings for my current employment and the newfound flexibility of remote work. Yet, as the title of this post suggests, the world of work-from-home has its unique set of challenges - not least of which is my furry, sometimes smelly, coworker, Nandu (@mrnandu4u).
At the outset, the allure of remote work seemed idyllic. The concept of a better work-life balance, an environment where pants are negotiable and the alarm clock could be set merely minutes before work begins, was indeed tantalizing. However, Nandu, who seems to have been living half of this dream his entire life, adamantly disregards the latter part of this ideal.
He demands his morning walk at 7:45 am, showing an obstinate adherence to pre-pandemic routines! My envisaged relaxed morning routine vanished quicker than his fetch ball.
Yet, in this new normal, Nandu's unbending commitment to routine has proved invaluable. His sense of order has brought a much-needed semblance of normality to the tumultuous sea of pandemic life. The stark contrast of our former 8+ hour workday separation to an unavoidable proximity of less than 8 minutes has become an integral part of my daily life.
Nandu's adoption of an office role has been seamless. He's become proficient in recognizing the rhythms of my workday, patiently waiting out conference calls, and seizing opportunities for attention as soon as my workload lightens. His omnipresence is an oddly comforting reminder of the human-animal bond that was perhaps less noticeable in the 'before times.'
However, with brutal honesty and the candid nature of this post in mind, I must acknowledge one slightly pungent challenge. Nandu, while being an adorable and supportive coworker, doesn't quite understand the concept of personal hygiene or respecting personal space.
In the past, our time apart allowed me to overlook his occasional odoriferous aura. Now, as he insists on becoming my shadow, that's not quite as easy. I've attempted to up his bath frequency, yet this seems to upset him and disrupt our newfound professional relationship.
To conclude, despite this stinky conundrum, I wouldn't trade my work-from-home arrangement or my new coworker for anything else. Nandu's companionship, his comforting presence, and yes, even his smelly insistence on proximity, have all become indispensable parts of my work-from-home experience. And so, the benefits of this novel working dynamic undeniably outshine the challenges - no matter how much they might smell."