Working from home for the last 16 months has been both wonderful and terrible. It is lovely to work in my fuzzy slippers and avoid the commute—especially during winter months. But like so many, I’ve also missed my people and the connections which were so natural at the office.

In addition to the general gains and losses of our work-from-home realities, I’ve also been thinking of the way we’ve built surprising intimacy across the distance. We’ve invited people into our homes, and we’ve been invited into theirs. We’ve learned a lot about each other—things we may not have found out otherwise.  

We’ve heard our colleagues’ dogs barking and we’ve seen their cats walking in front of their cameras. We’ve heard them answer the door for yet another package delivery and we’ve endured–along with them–the pounding in the background as their kitchen was remodeled. We are living the dream of working from home (#WFH!).

But there’s been more, too.

• When we were on a call recently, Sydney mentioned she had her camera off as she made grilled cheese, because her toddler son was a picky eater and it was one of the few foods he would accept.
• At the close of our webinar, when I mentioned the ‘HOPE’ sign in the background of a colleague’s frame, she shared that it was important to her, because her family had been going through a battle with cancer and ‘hope’ was how they had been getting through.
• For our early morning teleconference, a teammate showed up in her baseball cap, because she had been on an early run training for a half marathon as a celebration of getting through surgery and grueling recovery after her accident last year.
• As our virtual meeting came to a close, a coworker’s dad was calling for her, because he needed her help–he had recently moved in based on his need for support as he was showing early signs of mental decline.

We’ve learned a lot about each other, but it’s not the sizzle of the grilled cheese cooking or the chewing noises of the dog enjoying its bone in the background that matter most. It’s the “because” behind them. Getting a view into each other’s households has opened conversations. The things that surround us are cues about all that we face in the fullness of our lives—the wonderful parts and the challenging parts. The details have provided openings for more sharing and deepening relationships—views into our lives we may not have gotten in the office.

We’ve felt separated. We’ve felt distanced. We’ve felt isolated. We’ve missed what we knew—both our colleagues and a normal sense of routine. But the chance for a window into people’s lives has been precious as well.

I think our opportunity will be to take this into the future—as we work from home less and as we’re together in person more. When we get back to the office, I hope our intimacy can remain, and that we retain the openness that builds relationships and bonds us to each other.

Photo Credit: Debra Curnalia (and Rosie!)

The Secrets to Happiness at Work is available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound, Target or for bulk purchase/volume discounts, via Porch Light Book Company.