Doing the Work: What The Quarantine Has Taught Me About Working Hard and Hardly Working

5 min readAug 24, 2021

Work is in the eye of the beholder

Photo Source: Unsplash via Luis Villasmil

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. ~Thomas A. Edison

As someone who has been working from home for over a decade, I have long since realized that work is relative. This is especially true when you’re a single mom. I mean, when you are constantly on duty, it can be hard to tell where your workday begins and what leisure even is.

Nevertheless, I found my stride a few years into my career. Once my youngest got old enough to go to school, I was able to create a schedule that came complete with gym time, recreation, a full workday, quality time with my kids, and most importantly (as an empath/introvert), time alone.

Enter COVID-19

However, everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Rather than enjoying the dynamic schedule that allowed me to cover all bases, I immediately cut out most activities and started to feel like a prisoner.

Don’t get me wrong; my family is pretty amazing. However, as an introvert, I need daily time to recharge, which became impossible to get once I had my kids home full-time. Moreover, even my therapy appointments were switched to phone/video calls, which literally left me feeling like an outcast with no outlets.

Not only that, but I was also given the job of reluctant homeschool teacher, you know, as a cherry on top. Depression and anxiety set in immediately. Nevertheless, I realized that I had to do the work.

Work, Work, Work!

I quickly realized that the quarantine would not end anytime soon, so I rolled up my sleeves and started doing the real work. Sure, making money is essential, but I knew I’d never survive the quarantine if I didn’t figure out how to stabilize my mental health.

And although I still inevitably did not manage as well as I had hoped, I did find a way to create a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos.