Admitting that I enjoy ‘routine’ may sound stiff or unbending but in reality, it gives me a sense of accomplishment because I accomplish those routine tasks without even thinking about them. Our current situation has really put a crimp in my style!

I read a news article that said Walmart has seen a significant increase in the sales of tops/shirts but no increase in sales for pants. Excuse me…what are ya’ll wearing when you do your Zoom meetings?! Maybe the fact that the majority of my work is done from a home-based office gives me a slight edge but I still believe that you need to wear pants when you work!! Just throwing that out there.

Now, I will admit, some things were ingrained in me back in my early years when working in direct sales and had to make calls from my home office. My team leader always said “If you look professional, you will sound professional.” Good advice. But I always wore pants, folks!

We are living in unprecedented times and so, so many people are being forced to create home work spaces with children thrown into the mix. God Bless you….I’d struggle there. I told my children last week that if a pandemic of this magnitude occurred when they were young, I’d have them duct taped to the wall in a heartbeat.

Being Remotely Social is our new ‘norm’ but that doesn’t mean that you stop being professional. I’ll be the first to say that I can go from hobo-chic to full on Blanche Devereaux in about 20 minutes but there’s a time and place for everything. You may see me wandering around a home improvement store in yoga pants and a t-shirt or a dress and some J Lo bling…but I’ll always have mascara on my eyes because it’s just wrong (in my mind) to go out face-naked.

Teleconferencing with video is a two-sided venture; We can see the other person, and they can see us. That camera on your computer (which you’re leaning in to..) is giving us a very up close and personal look at your face! Trim that mustache, shave your face, clean out the corners of your eyes and maintain all those personal hygiene items you would do if you were driving to your office. I have seen more than I wanted to see in the last couple of weeks and some of those images are now ingrained on my brain.

At some point, remote meetings will slow down and we will return to our face-to-face gatherings. I don’t want to meet with someone down the road and all they can think about is how different I looked on a Zoom Meeting…no makeup, one eyebrow (Oh, how I miss my Mimi!), and huge pores. So, basically, I’m looking like a Sasquatch? Not THIS girl!!

Let’s all keep it professional, maintain our sense of humor, and pray for an end to this pandemic. I may joke about things but it’s my way of dealing with stressful situations, so don’t get yourself all twisted up about what I say. Remember that I am praying for YOU, and for all the workers who’s livelihood have been disrupted. I pray for our Doctors and Nurses and the people on the front lines of this horrible event. I pray for every person who is sequestered to their home with a spouse and/or children…it’s a huge, huge test of patience and love.

Stay Home. Stay Safe. Check on your friends and family often. And…Support Local. Our prayers are with you.