Warmest greetings to all of you from my dining room table. This is the very new normal for many of us navigating the tumultuous times we have been thrust into. And I’m not too proud to say that I am finding being confined to my home very challenging. For those of you who don’t know me, I am an extroverted extrovert. Just for clarity, psychology today provides this succinct definition forExtroversion
“People who identify as extroverts tend to search for novel experiences and social connections that allow them to interact with other individuals as much as possible. Someone who is highly extroverted will likely feel bored, or even anxious, when they’re made to spend too much time alone.” Booyah. That’s me. And I’m guessing that many of you will be feeling this way too. So I send you my heartfelt support - we will get through this! As an aside, it is fascinating watching introverts breathe a sigh of relief as the world morphs into one they are far more comfortable in. This gives me a strange feeling of calm when I reflect that my suffering is someone else’s contentment.
So anyway, we’re all now spending most of our time within the four walls of our safe haven. And regardless of the relationship we may have had with our homes up until now, for most of us, how we see our home is undergoing some kind of transformation. For each of us that relationship will depend on a variety of factors, including how well our home’s space works for us during lockdown, who else is in our space, what other demands are being made on our time, and other concerns we may have.
Some of you will be in homes that are well accustomed to providing a work-from-home space and that has been decorated and renovated to you and your family’s requirements. Unfortunately, there are many not so fortunate, and if this is your situation, you will be doing your best to make it work as well as possible. But it’s not easy when there are many external pressures to contend with. Pressures including who you are with and who you are not with. These bubbles are the best chance we have of breaking Covid19 transmission, but they also mean you may be separated from loved ones or sharing your bubble with people who are high maintenance. Those four walls defining your safe haven may sometimes feel like they’re closing in. Many of you will be trying to keep children calm and occupied when the last thing you feel like is calm. Many of you will also be trying to work - whether in the home or as essential workers - feeling less secure than before, having new demands made on your time. And many of you will have already lost your job and will be feeling anxious about long term financial security, irrespective of the financial support the government has put into place so very quickly.
For my part, I had no office at home, having chosen to work from the best shared office space in the universe (petridish.co.nz). My home is fortunately mostly redecorated and renovated but I do not have enough space to get away from the Fortnite-driven shrieks emanating from my 14-year-old son’s room. I am also separated from my darling 20-year-old daughter, as we mutually decided she would have more fun if she stayed in her flat. This is very hard to bear. Lastly, I have lost my side hustle as it was a casual role, and my daughter has lost her nannying job too.
So, from the trenches, I send my very best wishes to all of you.
May your home be where your heart is during these challenging times and may it provide you with the comfort that you need. Last but not least, may the internet withstand the hammering it’s getting ;-)
Angela Howell, CEO Timbr