But I Like My Routine!

I got a sense of foreboding that my routine will change soon. It wasn’t exactly dread, but I did feel a hint of sorrow tinged with anxiety. My office in Greenwich Village is set to open after Labor Day. To say I’m settled in my work-at-home set up is understatement. It has become more comfortable and dependable than I imagined.

I went to the office last week to open and sort a year-and-a-half worth of mail ahead of that first day back. I got a taste of commuting, of being bound to the train schedule, of having it dictate the timing and speed of my movements. The trains and subways are inching back toward their usual crowded states. Even though this latest trip into the city seemed more like an outing than a chore, I realized I’ll be doing this every day again.

 I felt a bit hemmed in sitting at my desk. I’ve made a large room at home my remote office. I work at a large table. I can move around and not bother anyone.

I have mixed feelings. I’m happy to see the city come alive. It’s getting back to the familiar bustle I’m used to. More people. More restaurants and shops open. It no longer looks and feels like a ghost town. I’ll be happy to see my work friends in person again. I was pleased to remember how much reading I can do on the train.

On the other hand, I’ll miss my flexible writing schedule and the time I’ve gained by not commuting. I’ll have to give up a few check-in sessions with members of my writing group during the week. We’ve all come to rely on our few minutes of mutual support together on Zoom.

I’ll lose my consistently quiet place to write. In the city I have to scrounge to find a place that offers some measure of peace and that’s out of the office. I work in an interesting place, but it can get noisy, and when people see me at my desk, it signals that I’m available.

What might present the biggest challenge is establishing a new balance — remembering to take the time to be available to myself during the workday and not let its demands push my creative time aside.