We love hearing and sharing your stories. We want to find out how people are adapting to their ‘new normal’, what changes they’re making and what they’re learning. Each week, we share a story with you, from people in different jobs (or not in jobs for some), in different places, with different experiences. If you’re interested in sharing your story, we’d love to hear how the ‘new normal’ is for you.
What’s your name and what do you do?
Aimee O’Leary. I work on community and content at Inspiring Workplaces and I love it! Such a wonderful group of people who genuinely want to change the world of work for the better.
How did you start your day today?
Got up at 8, had a shower, got dressed, made the bed, went downstairs, had a coffee and opened up my laptop ready for a day of work. I’m rubbish at having breakfast… must get better.
What was a typical day like for you pre Covid-19?
My days have always been varied. I would usually work from home once or twice a week, but days in the office were varied too. A typical day would mean traveling to the office in Waterloo and working from there, unless we had an event somewhere else. I’ve been lucky enough to do lots of travel with the team for various events, awards ceremonies and conferences so it never gets repetitive!
Working from home days were similar to how they are now, although a little less structured as I didn’t have a dedicated workspace and was a bit rubbish at taking a lunch break.
And what is a typical day like now?
Later starts than usual which I love. I’m definitely not a morning person. I do try to keep to as much of a routine as possible though, as it definitely helps to separate the workday from leisure time.
So, I always start the day with a coffee, have lunch around 12/1pm and pack away all my work things at the end of the day. I usually do some kind of exercise when I finish work, even if it’s just a walk – again it helps to create some separation for me.
What’s been the biggest change to your life (working and personal) in light of Covid-19?
Not seeing my family as much has definitely been the biggest change in my personal life. I have a pretty big family and I am really close to my aunts, uncles and cousins. A few of them have been shielding, as they’re vulnerable, so we haven’t been able to see them, which has been a big change from normal life.
The biggest change to work-life has been the launch of Inspiring Workplaces which brought The Employee Engagement Alliance and The Employee Engagement Awards together. This had been the goal for quite a while, but Covid-19 gave us the push, as well as the space, to focus and execute exactly what we wanted, with new areas such as training, the IW foundation and Inspire:Cities. We also created Inspiring Leaders to recognise the people who have stepped up during these difficult few months, which I’m particularly excited about. It’s nice to have positive stories come out of difficult times.
How have you personally had to adapt to accommodate what’s happening?
My boyfriend and I live with my parents and my sister, which is a lot of people to be working from home in a 3 bedroom house. The biggest thing has been creating our new routine. We’ve all had to be flexible and gentle with each other, as everyone has been juggling the stresses of work and concerns about family and friends. But, I feel very fortunate to have been with so many people I love, even if it’s been difficult to coordinate at times!
And what have been the biggest challenges (working and personal)?
Personally, my biggest challenge has been accepting a lack of control. I think like a lot of other people, it’s been hard not knowing how long we’ll be in this situation, and not having any clear line in the sand for when life will go back to ‘normal’, whatever normal really means at this point!
In terms of work, the biggest challenge has been not being able to see colleagues in person. We’re all well adapted to working from home, as we’ve always been set up for flexible working, but I definitely miss the personal interactions. I especially miss mine and Stefan’s long chats about everything and anything!
What do you miss most about your life pre Covid 19 (working and personal)?
Physical contact. I’m a very tactile person, so not hugging my friends and family feels so unnatural to me. I miss hugs.
What surprisingly good things have emerged in your life since this began?
I think I’ve got better at slowing down. I’ve always been a person that feels like I need a plan and destination and that just hasn’t been possible over the past few months, so I’ve had to let go a bit. I’ve learnt to enjoy walking for the sake of walking, without needing an end goal!
The other, is time with my parents and sister. Lockdown made me realise that we don’t spend that much time together in everyday life, because we’re all so busy. I really cherish the fact that I have been able to spend real quality time with them over the past few months.
What have you learnt about yourself during this?
I’ve learnt that I’m more adaptable than I thought. Having to let go of plans and go with the flow a bit more, although unnatural, hasn’t been as much of a challenge as I anticipated it would be for me.
What do you hope we, as a society, learn from this situation?
Empathy and community. Covid-19, as well as the black lives matter movement, has highlighted the huge inequalities that exist, and I hope we learn to operate as a community which protects and supports those who are vulnerable.
What has helped you to cope with your situation?
Family and friends. I’m lucky to have a wonderful support system of people, who I can reach out to for support and help when I need it.
What message would you like to pass onto others?
You’ve got this! Reach out for help if you need it, and be kind always.
Finally, what’s on your ‘Playlist’:
– Favourite meal? This is hard, I love food. But it would probably be any kind of seafood pasta. Maybe spaghetti vongole. Yum.
– Boxset/film or book? Favourite book is 1984, George Orwell. A classic but I love it.
– Things to do that just makes you happy? Cooking with a glass of wine and some good music – and being with people I love 🙂
