I’m having a hard time leaving the parking lot. Yes a parking lot.

I am returning back to the campus where I work after 4 months of working remotely – it’s so familiar and different at the same time.

I got out of my car masked and remained so until I returned 1 1/2 hours later.

I completed my Covid screening, sent it to my manager, and showed proof as I entered the building. I made my way to the floor where my meeting was, and physically distanced from other attendees while we waiting in the hall for the conference room to be free. It was good to “see” everyone – “see” means something different now days – but this time it means seeing folks live and in person.

The last group exited the conference room – everyone careful to maintain their distance. The room was wiped clean and then we entered. The layout and spacing of chairs and tables very deliberate.

It was a meeting where we presented and answered questions to an individual who was on a virtual platform and located in New England. We were masked the entire time. It went well – our knowledge, energy and enthusiasm still shined through. We quickly wrapped up and headed out as the the next group waited — totally normal conference room behavior!

I ran into my senior leader and realized we hadn’t had small talk in months – it was just a few minutes, but it was sooo normal.

I have been sitting here for about 30 minutes – just doing stuff, busy work — stretching out soaking up this slice of normal.

©Bloom in Every Garden 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Text messages have no tone or verbal cues to determine fully and accurately what was intended.  To say they can be easily misunderstood is an understatement. It’s not like a phone call – where you decide whether to answer and have the conversation at all, re-direct things mid-stream because the train has left the tracks, or prevent the conversation from going off the rails entirely.

For Senders .  . .

• Should it even be a text? Certain topics should never go in a text. If you can’t say it to them, you should not text it to them. If it’s an emergency – only text to ask that the person call you.
• Consider the timing – we often have notifications that ping or pop-up that can interrupt or distract us. Think about the rhythm of the receiver’s personal life – are they getting kids setup for school, working, having dinner, putting kids to bed, or is it the time when they decompress from the day?
• Wait for a response. Avoid sending repeated messages on the same topic – or sending “did you get my text?” very shortly thereafter. Sometimes no response is a response.

For Receivers . . .

• You can set boundaries – when you prefer a call, when not to expect a response (e.g. work hours or dedicated family time), etc.

• You can choose not to respond at all – not every text requires a response.

• You can decide how to respond – if you perceive a negative tone or attitude be careful not to match it. Pick up the phone and have a conversation. Friendships and family relationships have been damaged and not easily repaired in an exchange of text messages.

• You can decide when to respond – activating “do not disturb” settings and include an auto-reply for certain periods in your day (it references driving but can be set up for any purpose).

©Bloom in Every Garden 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.