What’s the Upside?

We all know how difficult working remotely can be. But if we spend a few minutes in gratitude, we might find some positive outcomes.

So we asked you to share the unexpected upside to remote work.

Angie Kim, sustainability coordinator, shared with the PSC that “teleworking has been doing great things for our college’s greenhouse gas emissions!”

“I’ve calculated an estimate of nearly 543,645.7 lbs of CO2 that have been prevented since many of us have stopped commuting to campus.” She says it’s the equivalent to planting nearly 1,360 mature (25+ years) trees on campus in terms of carbon sequestration.

Justin Lovell, Assistant Sports Information Director, loves time spent with furry friends. “Seeing my dogs all day! It is amazing to watch them look out the window all day and what they spot!”

Head Athletic Trainer Sherry Lauger enjoys the ability to focus. “On any given day I would choose to be in my office on campus. However, an upside to remote working is that I can focus on one task at a time and give it my full attention.”

Betsy Aldredge, media relations specialist, uses the time usually spent commuting. “Now that I’m home much more, I’ve been able to find the time to exercise every morning before work. I’m also really enjoying doing Broadway dance tutorials and reconnecting with my book club via Zoom.”

Also enjoying the possibilities brought by Zoom, Chris Bisignano writes, “It gave us the opportunity to do an alumni Zoom chat. It was nice to see some former student athletes. We also had a great number of current and possible Panthers join us.”

Many agree that spending time with family and partners at home is a definite upside.

Christine Attanasio, administrative assistant in Art+Design, shares, “I love the quality time I get to spend at home with my partner, despite both of being busy with work all day. It’s great to be newfound coworkers!”

Purchase College Foundation’s Sheli Taylor found the time spent with her son a bonus and writes, “Our 21-year old college senior came home for spring break in early March. He was home for the rest of the spring and finished his degree here. Working from home gave us the opportunity to spend more time with him and to appreciate how he had grown over the last four years. He’s now graduated and gone again—across the country for the summer—yet we are all closer still.”

Alexa Haines, financial manager in Athletics, agrees. “The unexpected upside to remote work was that I was able to spend a lot more time with my family. My family lives on Long Island and I have an apartment in Westchester, so being able to be home with them while working has been awesome.”

So does Head Coach and Athletic Facilities Intern Ryan Cole. “Some unexpected outcomes to now working remotely are that I am able to spend time with my family. I have also been able to be apart of some amazing virtual discussions with a multitude of different groups.”

And finally, we have an anonymous submission, the author calls “Connection Through Separation.”

5:30am: My husband, one of our children and I get up early.

6:00am: We drive into the city while the day is dawning. The sky is gifting us with beautiful colors.

6:45am: We arrive at the hospital. We have to say goodbye because only patients are allowed in.

7:30am: We’re back home and now the waiting begins. The surgery hasn’t even started yet.

8:30am: Following my intuition I settle on my husband’s side of the bed and start an energy healing on him. I feel very much connected.

9:00am: A nurse calls in to tell us that all is well and that the surgery will start soon. But I don’t hear my phone ring. Miraculously, it is turned to Do not disturb. So I don’t get “disconnected”

9:30am: I fall asleep. (I am not used to getting up that early!).

11:30am: I wake up with a jolt and feel a sharp pain in my knees. Instinctively I know that the surgeon reached the critical area. On the right side the pain dissipates quickly, on the left side it takes longer, but to me it is a sign that the operation went well.

12:00pm: I am back in the “normal” world and feel enormous gratitude because I realize that under non-pandemic circumstances, I would have been sitting in a waiting room in the hospital, not feeling comfortable to do an energy healing with people around me wondering what the heck I am waving my hands for. It was actually liberating to be stuck at home!

Later that afternoon, I do get the update that the procedure was successful. My husband is recovering well.