What the Furlough?

We are nothing if not honest around here, right? I’m committed to sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly here at My Revamped Life and it’s only fair that I share with you I was recently furloughed from my job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, furlough is ‘hey, you are still an employee here right now but we don’t need you to work and we’re def. not going to pay you.’ It’s a companies way of saving the bottom line and your job for when it’s safe for everyone to return to work.

I was not mad at my company or anything when I heard this was happening, but I was sad. Like stay in bed for 36 hours sad. Like kind of scare your roommate that you haven’t even come out for water or food sad. But, I needed to feel those sad emotions. Mainly because I realized I was started to grieve the life that I was planning for myself in these weeks/months that Covid 19 has taken from us.

I was supposed to have a birthday night out with friends, I was supposed to celebrate other people’s birthdays, events at Orlando Improv, concerts, time with family and more. And now, I wasn’t even going to be working from home, I was going to be sitting around, trying to keep myself occupied Mon-Fri, 9-5 without work…you know that thing I’ve been doing solidly for almost 14 years!

So, WTF? What the F was I going to do during Furlough. Well, I’m lucky, my mom caught on really quick that maybe I wasn’t in the best headspace, and because we have all been crazy diligent about social distancing, cleaning our hands/groceries, etc she thought it was best that I come to stay with them in St. Augustine during the week and then go back to Orlando on weekends to catch up with my roomie, watch my TV shows, etc.

This two-hour drive to my parents was exactly what my soul needed, and I think my car was excited to see beyond a two-mile radius of my apartment. I am incredibly fortunate to have family close by (I mean I did this by design when I followed them to Florida after college ha!) who I can visit whenever my soul needs a breather and a hug. GUYS MOM HUGS ARE LIFE!

The first night over dinner, my parents asked me to think about what these weeks on furlough could look like and how I needed to find a way to tackle my day. What kind of plan could I put in place to make sure that I was staying active both mentally and physically? Like she said, “You don’t want to go back to work and forget how to do the thing you’re best at!” This is great advice…though, this is from the same woman who suggested I try a hobby, and after an hour plus of attempting to do like 3 loopy crochet thingies realized that I was not meant for crafts.

But, I do have a hobby…you, this blog and writing. Nothing brings me more joy than opening up my little World Press dashboard and hitting the “New Post” button and knowing that I get the opportunity to share my writing with you. Whether it’s a mistake I’ve learned from, a tip and trick I have, a new Iced Coffee routine, a playlist, or an honest conversation about the crazy times we are all living in. I’m so happy that I have you all and this outlet.

So, my plan right? That’s what we’re talking about here! I want to share what I am doing and if you’re going through the same struggle then know that I am here for you and that your gut instinct is leading you to the right plan for YOU during this time. So, here’s my ‘for now’ workday, and if it helps you figure out your furlough day then great!

A Day in the Life of Furlough:

• 9 a.m.:
  • Coffee/Breakfast on the lanai with really lovely background music
  • A quick overview of life (Check budget, check on unemployment site, etc.)
  • Tackle a blog post and write/work until lunchtime
• Noon: Lunch Time
• 12:30 p.m.:
  • Tackle a house chore (clean/detail car, clean lanai/pool area, deep clean kitchen or bathroom, etc.)
  • Maybe hit up some baking for My Quarantine Kitchen
• 3 p.m.:
  • Relax with a book in the pool or listen to a podcast
• 5 p.m.:
  • Head out for a walk or do some yoga, shower and get ready for dinner
• 6:30 p.m.:
  • Start making dinner, enjoy a meal with the parents
• 8 p.m.:
  • Sit down and catch up on some tube or plan a phone date with friends

This is what I did my first week of furlough and I can’t begin to tell you how much sanity this brought to my life by forcing myself into a routine that truly did work for me. This gives me structure in an otherwise crazy, unstructured way of life. I also will say not having kids makes this an easy schedule for me so if you’re at home with the kiddos then I say hats off to you! So many of my friends are working tirelessly to keep their kids sane but ultimately SAFE during this time and while your kids may be frustrated with you now, they will never stop thanking you for loving them and keeping them safe.

I look forward to the days where I’m annoyed by the traffic on my route to work and frustrated that I’m running behind. I can’t wait to pull into Starbucks and see a line out the door and kick myself for not ordering ahead. I eagerly await the days a hostess tells me it’s a 30-minute wait for my girlfriends and me to grab a bite and a drink at our fav hotspot. But, until then I will stay committed to the safety of myself and those that I love and bringing you as much content!

I love you all and pray that you’re all safe and healthy! Drop me a note and tell me what you are doing to stay busy during this time!