I had a project for work that I anticipated with some dread. 😟 Don’t get me wrong. I knew I could do it. That wasn’t the issue. I just knew it would take some extra thought and several drafts before I was happy with the end result. 🤩
As a remote worker, I get to have my 🐶 dog with me all day. He’s usually content to play or 💤 nap under my desk. But everyone with an Australian Shepherd or any working breed can tell you, exercise is necessary. That’s why my furry coworker and I take a 🦮 walk daily during our lunch break. Perk of working remotely, right?
As luck would have it, a huge ❄️ snow system with subzero wind chills hit my area on the same day that I allotted to work on this big project. There could be no walk to break up the day for either of us. 🦮 It was almost impossible for the poor pup to even go into the backyard to do his business and 🐾 run back inside. Needless to say, he developed a bad case of cabin fever! I developed a bad case of writer’s block.
Throughout the day, he kept dropping toys and 🎾 balls in my lap, pawing at my arms, and even crying to get my attention away from the computer. Those interruptions, combined with a couple long virtual 💻 meetings, left me feeling behind on my work.
I’m not the kind of person who likes to feel behind. I like to be ahead. I work ahead on purpose. ⭐️ So, when my husband got home from his job, I stayed online beyond my typical workday. I wanted to finish what I had set out to do that day. Forget the ❄️ snowstorm and all of the other things that stole my focus. I didn’t mind. 😊 It wouldn’t have felt right to log off at my usual time without that project completed. ✅
I mentioned that to my bosses the next day, not as a way to brag about my work ethic. Just because I felt good about finishing. You want to know what they said?
“You know that you didn’t need to do that. It was okay to save it until today.” 😍
“We don’t expect you to work overtime.” 😍
“After that kind of day, you should have had a spa moment instead of working later.” 😍
“I hope you relaxed all evening.” 😍
My bosses were more worried about the fact that I worked extra than they were about having a project finished. Nothing to do with overtime pay because I earn a salary. It’s because my team — and company as a whole — value people. 🙌🏻 They consistently stress the importance of having a work-life balance. It’s not just lip service. They mean it. 🥳
And I will always appreciate it.💖
sharing the stairs 