I have to remind myself that Januaries are always difficult for me, and Februaries, as well. As is the case for many people, things are a bit of a grind here in suburban Elysia just at the moment. But I can’t judge 2021 too harshly on its face, just yet.
My expectations weren’t high. The pandemic wasn’t going anywhere. The riots at the Capitol and the continued insanity of Trump, MAGA, and Q….well, that’s a big bunch of demerits for sure.
We’ve had a mild winter so far, without a lot of snow or extreme temps, which is sort of nice but then again every day is just more Michigan grey. At this point I’d relish a nice whomp of snow just for something different.
I’m still working away in my back bedroom / office and still having to make hundreds of quick transitions between employee / parent / teacher / chef / home project manager / therapist / partner / lover every day. Which is not ideal but which I think many of us are struggling with. This will likely continue through April or May, at the earliest, if I’m not mistaken, and perhaps longer depending on how we handle Miss L’s continued remote school through June. This paying job I’ve done for the past 10 years – at a company I’ve been with for 19 – is its usual mix of stability, ennui, consistency, tedium, stress, aggravation, reassurance and comfort, all at once. I try to remind myself to get out for walks or runs and fresh air, get enough sleep but not sleep too much, to have gratitude, take my vitamins and watch my diet and keep to-do lists and make time for self care but sometimes things fall off the plate and I have to start all over again.
Maybe my daily commute (30 minutes to an hour plus one way, depending on weather and traffic), which I always bemoaned in the past, was more beneficial than I thought- time to transition from one role to another, catch up on news or audiobooks or podcasts.
Rise of the Fake Commute and how it might be beneficial to your mental health
The key is taking things one day, one action at a time and not thinking too far ahead.
How’s your January going so far?
Six Ten 
The way you describe work is so spot on! I’m very lucky that I wear only one hat during the day, so that definitely helps keep me level. Here’s hoping you can continue to find the balance in this new year!
Sending big hugs. I echo Kath, I think you summarized the frustration of working at home during a pandemic perfectly. I can’t imagine having to balance that plus home-schooling!
January is okay on this end. I’m not a winter person, but I’m grateful that this winter has been milder and that we have been able to keep up with our weekend walks!