This week, Sabina has been out on vacation and Tom was gone for a training and then off to Ireland for vacation. As you know, our intern Dakota is virtual and, well, her last day was on Tuesday. Jay works remotely from India. And then there’s me. Alone. In a community workspace. By myself.
Okay, I am being dramatic. But there will be instances on your team where you may be the only one “working” in a traditional sense. There are logistics to complete, things to coordinate, calls to be made, and posts to publish. When you are used to having a team around you, times like these can get lonely. But here are some ways to stay motivated and creative:
- They will return! Your team did not abandon you, not on purpose at least. When you feel like you have to take on more responsibilities, trust that your team members would do the same for you when you take some time away.
- Use this time to prioritize tasks, especially what needs to be done when your team returns. You have the power! Think of projects to come, do what you can, and use this opportunity to assign next steps. This will get you ahead of the game once they return and could save you a meeting or two about task assignments.
- Get to know people working on other projects. You are surely not the only one working, so get to know other people in your department or on your campus. There could be un-tapped co-programming opportunities you may not have thought of before. Take advantage!
- Celebrate your wins. You have accomplished so much. Be happy when your team returns, not so you can hand the work back over, but so you can share with them all you have done and what you look forward to, now that they are back.
Working on your own can be a blessing for some and a challenge for others. Playing around with your work environment can be an interesting experiment now that you are on your own. Try working outside for an hour per day, find a library nook or that cute cafe you always wanted to try. Regardless, stay focused and excited about the work you do and the team you get to work with!
