Balancing the “Hybrid” Lifestyle (In an Ever-Changing World)
Do you remember the Jewel song, “Intuition”? It begins with the lyrics, “I’m just a simple girl— in a high-tech, digital world / Rarely try to understand all the powers that rule this land…”
Yeah, I felt that.
COVID-19 changed the world. We can’t deny that. My 9-5 office job became a more flexible, 9-5 (or, sort of 10-6, 8:30 - 4:30, whatever-ish, just get your work done and try to survive this pandemic) work from home job… and it’s staying that way for the most part— which leads me to my main points: we have to somehow keep living (and get our lives back on track), and that means a “hybrid”, more sustainable lifestyle may just be our new foreseeable future state.
So, how do we manage this? Since things have changed so fundamentally, how do we take space for ourselves and our feelings amidst all the madness? Here’s how I’ve learned to cope, and partially learned to get my life back on track in the modern, wacky, “hybrid” world.
A photo post-full vaccination from my vacation to New Orleans in April 2021. If you’re able to travel at all during this time (safely, only if you’re fully vaccinated) I recommend doing so, especially to areas of lower transmission. Note: NOLA is now a high-transmission COVID area, so I would recommend even the vaccinated avoiding until the city is able to get ahold of its medical crisis situation.
Getting your life back and going “hybrid” in 2021
If you’re an essential worker (such as healthcare works, grocers, teachers, etc. are), you’ve been on the frontlines this entire time and for that I (and everyone else, I would guess) are beyond thankful for your service. You are tireless though you’re tired, and the world has not become a “hybrid” situation for you. That’s on privilege on mine and many other office workers’ parts, and I must make this disclaimer as it would be rude to generalize at this stage when so many are working harder than ever before on the frontlines.
That said, for us 9-5, work-from-home-but-sort-of-hybrid workers, here are some tips on how I’ve stayed sane, and how I plan to manage the work-life balance moving ahead into the new, hybrid workforce (and world).
More outdoor time, period— I’ve spent so much time outside during the pandemic, and I’ve even found ways to work, eat, and walk outside during the coldest winter months (which has been a welcome change of scenery for me). If you can get outside safely at all, I recommend doing so. Even the tiniest city terraces and balconies can become great outdoor work spaces with a space-heater in the winter and some shade in the summer, and its kept me sane/feeling a lot less “couped up” during this transitional period in life.
Travel (safely) if you’re able— Many of my friends have turned the “work from home” model into the “work from anywhere” model since being vaccinated, and that’s not a half bad idea if you can manage to do it safely. If you’re fully vaccinated (which the CDC defines here, if you have any questions), I say take time to drive out to some beautiful scenic places and enjoy a safe change-of-scenery that way if you’re able. Working from the beach in Outer Banks was way better than working from my tiny apartment, for starters, and working from my mom’s house in West Virginia for a while was a great emotional reset during these weird, challenging times.
Lean on your support systems— If you’re going back to the office and can do so safely (again, if you’re fully vaccinated), maybe consider meeting up with other vaccinated friends and coworkers in non-work related spaces to unwind and reconnect with your central support system. This is one of the things I’ve gotten back to since being vaccinated, and it’s felt incredible to safely see friends a few times a week again and have a drink and dinner to simply “let loose” and stop focusing on work 24/7 (since the work place is seeping into our homes now more than ever before).
Essentially, these things just mean sometimes removing yourself from work situations or changing up your scenery (safely, and if you’re physically and financially able) to relieve some stress. Like I said, a lot of this is on privilege— the privilege to work from home during a pandemic, the privilege to have financial means to travel at times, etc., but if you are in a position where you can do these things I recommend trying some of them. They’ve really revolutionized my mental health these last few months as I’ve been navigating the “hybrid” work world and lifestyle, and as I’ve moved back into the city of Philadelphia especially.
Simply getting outside or finding a way to change your scenery on work from home days, and taking space for yourself and time off of work when you’re able, can make all the difference. In this weird, topsy-turvy world you must take care of you, and it’s not selfish to do so. You can’t pour from an empty cup. So— be safe, take some time off, and be kind to yourself as you readjust to this “hybrid”, high-tech, digital world.
Xoxo, MM.