Even prior to the quarantine and lock down of most cities and countries, there have been a lot of people who work in their houses. They are those who work “online” and do not need to go to the office. Their work is similar to those in the call centers, others are writers, some virtual assistants, web developers and the like. These people may or may not be time-bound and can work at their convenience. Others also work based on the time where their bosses reside, usually out of the country.
In my day job, I work on a field assignment. I do not necessarily need to report to the office on a daily basis. We are only asked to do so once a week, on a Monday. I often travel to the different cities in Visayas and Mindanao, depending on my schedule from Tuesday to Friday. This has been my designation in the last 3 years. It was something that fit my personality because I love to travel and being alone. I work by myself, flying and driving to and fro, often not having anyone to talk to the entire day unless I have a meeting or somebody calls me up. Last year, I got almost tired of the job. I felt like I haven’t stayed a whole week at home, save for the last week of December. So by January, I took it easy, traveling every other week and this went on till March.
Then the Corona Virus pandemic broke out and the world stopped in its tracks. I no longer had to fly out and I was able to stay home straight. Today is the 44th day of me not “working”. My work is accomplished via email, call and chat. I’ve had Google Meet, Workchat and Zoom meetings with my peers and clients all over the country. My manager sends us messages daily and we talk and discuss without having to change or shower. I do online attendance every 8 o’ clock in the morning and answer a safety check at 9. If I’m still sleepy, I return to bed after these tasks.
For me, WFH is scary because my KPI involves contracts. If I am unable to travel, I will not be able to meet anyone. I am afraid I might not meet my target due to this. I have felt anxious and afraid whether I will still have a work to get back to. Thankfully, I have a hardworking manager always encouraging us to do our tasks and offers her services if we need it. In our city, Enhanced Community Quarantine will be lifted in three days. We will downgrade to General Community Quarantine afterwards. But I am still hesitant to leave home and return to working full-time. I think I will still be working from here until June.
I guess the best thing to do is trust and believe that things will work out. My work is important to me and it is part of my income source. If worse comes to worse, I will find a new job. It’s not as if I have a choice, right? I’ll just keep my fingers crossed and have faith in my employer. I’ve worked here for 6 years, that ought to count for something.
Mole on my Foot 