I was texting back and forth with Michael Jephcott about or workday one morning, a day after we had released our newest episode of TOSAs Talking Tech, and he told me he was prepping some social media posts and a promo for the latest episode so people could listen on “their virtual drive home.” I immediately jumped on the idea of a “Virtual Commute” and how essential that has become in this work-from-home new-normal.

When the pandemic hit, I, like many other teachers and workers started to work from home. It was interesting at first, not having a commute. I could wake up later, or start work earlier, and I felt more rested in the beginning. At the time, I was a TOSA, working with teachers to get their lessons either digitized and in Teams, or helping with packets and logistics of safely picking up and dropping off schoolwork. But soon, hours blended, and I was always being pulled back to my computer for one more email or one more chat question, and it was getting to be that I was actively engaged in work for much longer than I would have been if we were at school. Sometimes I’d look up and realize I had been working full on from breakfast to dinner. I was getting more tired and easily frustrated by the smallest things. It was about this time that the school year ended, and summer began.

I signed up to teach summer school (all distance) because I felt I needed to be in the thick of distance teaching if I was going to be helping our teachers in the fall. Because of the bell schedule, it was easier for me to separate when I was at work and when I was not. The structured times helped me to disengage at the end of the day and go unplug and rest. It was a challenge, but I really enjoyed the struggles and the triumphs of that summer school class.

Late July, or tech director accepted an opportunity in another district, and there was a hole to fill. I put my hat in the ring for interim, and I got the job. While interim, I felt like I was needed in the office to fulfill my duties. It was liberating having a separation from home to work, having that commute back to decompress and get my head in the right space to be home and be present. That physical distancing work and home was great for my mental health.

Now, as I am transitioning back to my DLMI TOSA position (yeah, I didn’t get the Director Job, another post is coming), I find myself reverting to the headspace where the lines are blurred, and I find myself drifting more and more back to my “work” headspace when I should be in my “home” headspace. I could feel my mental health start to unravel again, and the pressure and frustrations of work were bleeding into my home life. Not good.

But Mike’s idea of a virtual commute really spoke to me. What if before the beginning of my workday I went for a ten-minute walk to prep myself for the workday. I would have my virtual commute. Same as after my workday, go for a walk and get that separation back in my head between the work and the home. So I started walking before and after work. And it has become a great time to catch up on my podcasts. I am starting to make that hard-line separation that I used to have with a commute, I am closing the computer after work, quieting email notification on my phone after work hours, and making sure work stays in the work space, and I can have a home life again.
            Thanks, Mike for the inspiration, and I hope this small write-up inspires you as well.

I recently presented at Orange County CUE’s TEch Fest 2021 on podcasting. Below is a Video of the presentation and embedded slides! If you want to use anything here, all I ask if for attribution.

So i have spent the last year making video resources and walkthrus for our teachers in BUSD. They are up on my youtube channel and I thought I would post them here too as another way for teachers to find them.

My Youtube Channel

Couple of my most recent vids on Microsoft Teams