Are you working from home with kids, thanks to covid-19? Does each work day suddenly feel 70 hours long?

If you answered "yes" to both questions, then this post is for you. As a parent who worked from home when our teens were tiny humans, I've been there, done that, and have some advice. But first, I'll share a story that might make you feel a little bit better.

When toddler meets deadline

I used to have a very-part-time babysitter come to my house to watch our then 18-month-old (our first-born) so I could do phone interviews and write stories in my home office. One day, the babysitter cancelled because she wasn't feeling well.

Unfortunately, I had a phone interview with a CEO scheduled to start in 30 minutes. I had no babysitting back up, and my spouse was at work.
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So how are you? Don't worry, there's no need to answer the question. 2020 is a hot mess of epic proportions, and yesterday feels like last year.

When I last updated this blog, I had just left Northern Virginia for Roanoke, Virginia. Roanoke, I must say, is a pretty cool place to live. It's in the Blue Ridge Mountains. So far, I am enjoying it. Or should I say I am enjoying our yard, since I still don't leave home other than to walk the dog or to visit the grocery store wearing a mask.
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You're chatting with a few (much) younger coworkers when one of them suddenly blurts out a "fact" that takes you aback.

"That was way back in the 1980s when Nixon was still president," this coworker says with confidence.

Really?

As the only person in the conversation with a working memory of those times (ssh, I won't tell!), you have a quiet choice to make here.
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The conference room has been reserved for the 2 p.m. meeting. At least 10 employees have confirmed they will be there. See you then!

2 p.m. rolls around, but no one is there. Welcome to the age of the "ghost meeting", where a meeting room is booked, but no one shows up.

Do you enjoy interacting with your company's HR department about your own career development? Oh, I see. You avoid it like the plague.

Then you might be interested in a new survey that finds your manager likely feels the same way!

Global mobile "coaching cloud" CoachHub surveyed 1,000 managers to see how comfortable they are speaking with their HR department about their own personal and professional development.

Here's a question we could debate all day: is the economy really as good as advertised?

It's a question that's been on my mind like Reagan-era eggs frying in a pan as I scroll through one headline after another about employee layoffs.

Kohl's and Wayfair announced layoffs last week. In fact, 1,800 retail workers at four major companies including Kohl's and Wayfair lost their jobs last week alone.

WalMart employees are reportedly bracing for thousands of potential layoffs, too.

You're hard at work when a coworker closes the nearby office blinds without asking first. Talk about throwing shade; it's like a cave in here now. Let's talk about the battle of the office blinds!

This coworker made an executive decision, and that decision was no more sunlight for you, or anyone else on the team. Goodbye, natural light. Thanks for stopping by.

via GIPHY

It's one thing if a coworker offers a workable reason.
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Ageism. It's the biggest wrinkle in the modern workplace. Once you hit a certain age, all professional bets are off. Just take your "No Malarkey" bus fare and hit the road, pal!

Before we get to the survey, can I just ask who let Joe Biden run with "No Malarkey" as his campaign slogan? Someone needed to say no.

In fact, someone needed to say no way in hell, Joe.

I know you're busy doing the jobs of three people, and so I'll make this quick: a new study says the workplace is more stressful than it was five years ago!

As if you didn't know this already given your ever-increasing workload, right? Well, a new Korn Ferry global survey of more than 1,400 working professionals is here to back you up since your boss won't hire anyone new to take some of the pressure off.

A new study finds that having a potted plant near your work area can help reduce your high levels of workplace stress. Let us all sit around like potted plants and take in the key details of the study, shall we?

Before we get to the study, however, please let me say that I'm glad to be back. I've been noticeably absent from the workplace discussion for weeks while moving to a new place. Boxes. So. Many. Boxes. We should be done unpacking by the time it's time to move again.
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