Throughout my career, I have been deployed to Iraq twice and an unaccompanied tour to Korea, all for twelve months or more. During those times, it required an acceptance and an adjustment to the new reality. When the decision to begin teleworking was made by my leadership, the reality quickly surfaced that this would be a similar adjustment; we would all be deployed at home for an undetermined amount of time.
With that deployment comes with some decisions I meet each day in three areas.
Purpose: I have a purpose, but unless I keep this in the forefront of my mind, I will neglect it. I exercise my purpose daily through maintaining my routines. Yes, I have been able to establish new ones and have adjusted my schedule now that I’m working at home. However, by in large, remembering that I have a purpose and getting up to face the day reinforces that mindset. I get up at my normal hour, I get dressed, I eat three meals, I still struggle with my reading and prayer times—but that is always changing based on my constantly changing life. (Once I get it set, it probably means that it is time to move or change jobs!) Bottom line is that I want to encourage you to maintain a sense of purpose through continuing to live life with the acceptance that this is the new life and take this opportunity to get everything you can from this experience.
Physical Fitness: I believe this is a key area to keeping one’s head in the game right now. Since there is so much dormancy, intentionally focusing on fitness, of course, has its physical benefits, as well as mental health benefits. So, during the week, I am focusing on this area of my life. I encourage you to join me in doing just a little fitness each day!
Permanency: This is the new reality. It may change soon. It may take longer, but I have the midset that this is now what my life is going to look like for the foreseeable future. This has given me a peace and comfort that I am adjusting and accepting what may develop as we go along.
Our world has changed and I believe it is going to change drastically in the coming weeks and months. As I am “deployed at home”, I continue to serve in my current position but in new surroundings and because of Purpose, physical fitness, and a sense of permanency I believe that I am prepared to whether the hardship that may come to me or my family. This is how I am dealing with things. It is different for everybody. Everybody has there own way of coping, I hope that during this time you too will find a way to accept and adapt to the new life we are leading.