Exactly 45 days ago, the IMZians reported to work at 10:00 AM just like on any other day. Till afternoon, everything was normal. Well, as normal as it can be, in a buzzing digital marketing agency! And, then, around 6:00 PM, something very different happened. All of us were summoned to the conference room and told that we’d be working from home from now onwards, given that the pandemic COVID-19 is on the rise.
Honestly, at that time none of us had a clue how well or for how long the WFH situation will last. We took a leap of faith any way. We’re IMZians, and that’s what we do. And, after 45 days here we are: safe and sound, locked in, locked down but never logged out.
Want to know how IMZ is fighting the pandemic in body, mind and spirit? Read till the end. We’ll share with you the bitter-sweet realities of work from home amidst the lockdown!
Tale #1: Work From Home: It’s An Introvert’s Paradise
For an introverted person, it is a dream come true, to be able to work from the comfort of their homes. Between the long commutes to work, the cacophony of the city traffic, and the mad rush of a 9-5 life, most introverts lose their essence. The work from home period has been a sweet respite for all the introverts on board. We spoke to a few of them, and they told us about the sheer joy of working in jammies in their own space. They told us about how they are being more productive than ever at work. Many of them have been reconnecting with old hobbies, while keeping up with the work load. Despite the lockdown, the IMZians have found a way to be joyous and optimistic. True they say, that hope and happiness are the best antidotes against any pandemic.
Tale #2: Work From Home: The Extrovert’s Nemesis
While the introverted IMZians are having the time of their life with work from home; the exuberant extroverts have not been that lucky. The work from home situation does not agree with most of them. And, thanks to the lockdown, they can’t even go out to stretch their legs! But, it takes more than that to dampen the exuberance of an IMZian. We have come up with several creative ways to cheer up and encourage each other. With frequent check-up calls, and all kinds of hilarious memes flying around, we are determined to ensure that nobody feels left-out or cooped up at home.
Tale #3: Work From Home: Strengthening Family Bonds
On a normal day in life, when you work 10-12 hour shifts, you don’t get too much family time, except maybe on Sundays. The lockdown is changing all of it. Thanks to the whole work from home scenario, we are being offered a chance to restore the work-life balance. Many of our colleagues are making the most of it! Some of us work with kids in the background, and that experience has its own bitter-sweet essence. But you can definitely feel their joy, every time you catch them murmuring gibberish with their little ones, in a middle of a follow-up call. The best thing that the lockdown has taught us is: a strict manager can also be a doting father.
Tale #4: Work From Home: Being Home-Bound Doesn’t Agree With Everyone
Everything has an up and a down side to it, and the same holds true for work from home. Some of us need a professional environment, with minimal distractions, to feel productive. For those IMZians who function this way, the lockdown has proved to be a real pain! We can imagine what it feels like to be stuck at home and juggle between responsibilities. Don’t worry IMZians, we are in this together!
Tale #5: Work From Home: The Hostel-ite Learns To Cook
The best part of the lockdown is that it is making us re-think our health choices and preferences. Take our hostel-ites for example. They are always pressed for time, and eating out seems to be the most convenient option. The lockdown, coupled with work from home, is changing all of that. The hostel-dwellers who are on board with IMZ have been sharing stories about how they have been cooking their meals and eating healthy nowadays. Some of them are really working hard on their culinary skills. Turns out, they are not the kitchen disaster that they’d thought themselves to be.
The Conclusion
To sum it up, productivity is a mindset, and hope is a choice. The times are uncertain. And, no one knows when life will get back to normal. For most of us, the work from home days have not been the easiest. From technical glitches to slow internet connections to communication gaps, we have seen it all. And, we overcame it all. We pulled up our socks and worked harder than ever. We always, always came together as a team. Because, when we stand up as a team, we can get through anything — even the pandemic! And, that’s what the lockdown has taught us.
