This week’s Working From Diary is brought to you by Roz, one of our Marketing Managers!
Each week we’re asking a member of the team to provide us with their WFH diary to give you an idea of what we’re all up to whilst at home!
About Roz 👋
Roz is one of our Marketing Managers! Her job is project based and involves working across all of the teams within ML, and stakeholders too. Recently, Roz has been assigned to the Major Sporting Events team which will greatly help the city’s recovery plan.
Roz’s Diary ✏
I’d like to say I have a daily routine but despite the perceived monotony, every day is certainly different with a working from home husband and two boys age 6 and 1!
Morning
This differs every day, although I do have an alarm, the kids tend to wake me up before it goes off! Then it’s ‘feeding time’ with the variety of breakfast requests and my first coffee. We’ve set our dining room up as our home office, and I’ve bought a printer to help with some projects.
So, it’s time to log on and begin ML work now with the two kids in separate rooms playing. I’m always dressed, caffeinated, and at the computer for 9am. First thing – check the day’s schedule: team Zoom meetings, deadlines, catch-ups or webinars. I’m lucky the 6 year old loves Lego so he can play for hours, but the 1 year old needs ‘supervision’ so we’ve set up the baby monitor so we can track him! In an attempt at home-schooling, I try to get the 6 year old to do some work at 10.30 – we are currently bribing him with a Buzz Lightyear Lego set!
Lunchtime
My husband works shifts starting and finishing at different times each week so we have to work around that. We both take our breaks at different times so we can be with the kids for longer. I try to take a walk with them to the small local fruit shop and we get something different every day.
Afternoon
With the kids settled in various rooms it’s back to the laptop. I’m working with the major sporting events team which is really interesting and enjoyable. These big events coming to the city will really help the city’s recovery plan and I’m happy to be a part of that. The Rugby League World Cup 2021 is the priority at the minute, closely followed by World Gymnastics 2022.
I try to also include a routine for the kids in the afternoon, so around 3 we have snack time (basically ‘I’m bribing you with food so you continue to be good until we finish work’). This time slot also co-insides with Paul’s daily team Zoom meeting – so we can guarantee there won’t be any little heads popping up in his Zoom window like the famous Professor Robert Kelly BBC interview! (Although both my boys have appeared in the team zooms and said hello to the team!)
Teatime
We all always sit together at tea time and it’s been nice eating in the garden with the lovely weather. If possible, we try to go for a walk in the park every day. We live right by Croxteth Park, and we have now explored every inch. It’s such an amazing park that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. It’s great seeing the cows and their baby calves in one field and the horses and their foals in the next. There is a ‘foresty’ part with big ponds, and the wildlife is amazing. (We helped a shrew last week!) It really does clear your head and helps separate work life from home life.
Evening
Again, my husband and me take turns with bedtime routines, but sometimes I need to catch up with work in the evening so after tea I go back to the ‘office’ and Paul sorts the kids out. Both boys get a book before bed, and the 6 year old has a bedtime chat, where he downloads the day and reflects on his thoughts, asking questions such as ‘when will coronavirus go away’ and ‘how is cardboard made’?!
Working from home certainly has its pro and cons. I miss my daily commute – who knew! And I miss chatting with my friends in the office. I really miss the ability to bounce ideas around with people in the moment rather than scheduling sessions in. But on the flip side, I’ve been here to see my baby take his first steps and progress into a toddler, and I have more time with the 6 year old as I don’t spend 2 hours a day on the bus. Also, I’m very lucky that I can work from home so my children are safe here with us.
I’ve recently found the Rob Beckett and Josh Widdecome lockdown parenting podcasts which are helping me realise that all parents are definitely in this together, and have a laugh about it all. If anyone wants to know how it feels to have a 6 year old at home, watch the Tony Bellew clip while he’s trying to do an interview at home.
We’re all healthy and happy which is what it’s all about in these challenging times.
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