Times have certainly changed since my last blog post. With\nall of the COVID-19 health measures in place, the agency I work for (Oregon\nDepartment of Fish and Wildlife [ODFW]) has moved to primarily telecommuting. For\nme, this isn\u2019t a huge difference since I was already working mostly remotely\nand have developed a routine to maintain productivity and minimize distractions\nthroughout the day. However, I imagine that it is quite a big change for most\nof my coworkers that are used to working in the Newport office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One measure my team, the Marine Reserves Program, has taken\nto ensure connectivity during these social distancing times is weekly virtual\nmeetings. We start the meeting by each sharing a tip we have learned to improve\nthis isolating experience or a suggestion we\u2019ve heard for how to help out our\ncommunity during this difficult time. Given the active nature of my team, tips\noften include taking the dogs on long early morning walks, setting up virtual\nexercise classes with friends, and making time for lunchtime yoga to keep\nroutine and movement in your day. Suggestions for helping the community include\npurchasing food from local businesses and getting involved with volunteering\nwhere possible (e.g. helping distribute meals or groceries to those unable to\nleave their house).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting our weekly meetings on a positive, team-focused note\nmakes me look forward to these Wednesday afternoon get-togethers. We\u2019ve even\nstarted adding in silly components to distract from the seriousness of the real\nworld and allow for us all to have a laugh. Last week we donned silly hats for\nour meeting, which allowed me to see my boss (Tommy) wearing his daughter\u2019s bunny\near beanie with wire cat ears on top. Quite a sight!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While these meetings are used to keep us informed of any\nODFW COVID-related changes, their primary purpose is really to keep our team connected.\nDuring this time of social isolation, staying intentionally connected is more\nimportant than ever for our mental health. I feel very lucky to be part of a\nteam that takes the time to check in with their coworkers in both a personal\nand professional manner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Times have certainly changed since my last blog post. With all of the COVID-19 health measures in place, the agency I work for (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife [ODFW]) has moved to primarily telecommuting. For me, this isn\u2019t a … Continue reading