Are you a key worker?

How many of you in the WordPress community are currently key workers? This isn’t strictly limited to health and emergency workers, I’m talking anyone that cannot work from home. Nurses and doctors, police officers, bus drivers, delivery drivers, bin collectors, security guards, taxi drivers… there is a big list of jobs that qualify.

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I ask because I am thinking of doing some posts inspired by those that have to travel to work right now. Learning about life in lockdown for someone that still has to roam the quieter streets and occupy buildings other than their home. On my travels in recent years I have been able to meet people in so many different industries, and I loved sitting down and sharing experiences. There is something fascinating about having a conversation with someone that has a completely different daily routine to yourself. Two worlds colliding and a quick glimpse of another way of life. In fact, I have been speaking to a couple of people that have agreed to share their stories and I am looking forward to posting them, hopefully this week.

It is something different for my blog, I can only ramble on about my life for so long before the same daily walks become all I talk about! I am going to try and find ways to share stories from readers of my blog (both key workers and those of you working/blogging from home) as so many of you have fascinating stories from around the world. And I will of course continue to share my experiences in London throughout this lockdown.

I wonder what the percentage is, I assume the majority of you are working from home? It is also interesting to consider whether the number of blog posts from key workers is higher with the opportunity to blog outside the home, or if working from home (or simply staying home if unemployed/retired/not able to work) is forcing bloggers to keep being creative and putting out blog posts regularly?

Let me know, and I will see you in the comments!

Sam

 

 

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak I am somewhat limited as to what I can do in London, but I aim to post as much as I can during this time. I promise to have some great posts coming your way once this is all over as I continue to explore London.

Stay home, stay safe and happy blogging!

Sam

 

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49 thoughts on “Are you a key worker?”

  1. #cantstayhome 🙋‍♀️ I’m working since March 15 where the effectivity date of enhanced community quarantine here in the Philippines. It is risky to go outside everyday but i have to work in order to continuously brings quality food/bread in the supermarkets shelves for the people. 😊🍞👍

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    1. Local hero ☺️ sounds like you’re doing a great job for the community to keep going. I’d love to hear more about this! How strict is the lockdown right now in the Philippines ?

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      1. Thank you! Sam, I’m just so grateful that God assigned me in this job with a great purpose. It is very strict malls, schools, restaurants, and some small businesses, parks etc is still close since March 15. Expecially here in our place that Only 1 member of the family who is allowed to go outside for groceries. Except to those who are working (Front liners) and also need to wear maks when going in the public places. There’s a lot of check points every places were policemen and army who is assign the check points. Limited public vehicles. Curfew some places started 6pm or 8pm. 🙂 I don’t know much when what’s in the outside hehe been doing home and work vise versa for almost 2 months. and yeah! Our wide enhanced community quarantine was extended until April 30. The government is doing there best.

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      2. If you would like to do a post on this for my blog I would love to hear it! Let me know in a comment and I will send you my email 🙂

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      1. Yes, for the most part. I’m happy to still be working but it has been an adjustment. But the coffee at home is waaaay better than the battery acid on offer at work. 😋

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    1. At least the traffic situation will make it easier for you to travel. I hope the nightshifts are going as well as they can! Nightshift is never the easiest, especially if you have to commute after a shift.

      You’re doing a fantastic job! ☺️

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      2. If you would like to do a joint blog post with me talking about your experiences I would be happy to hear it! But I understand if you don’t have so much time. But let me know and I will send you my email address and can get something sorted 🙂

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    1. Thank goodness blogging hasn’t been affected by all this! Apart from the travel aspect of course. But I am pleased you have a topic you can still talk about and I guess you have plenty of time to plan the next trip!

      Thanks for the comments Reni, stay safe 🙂

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  6. SEN Teacher so still working but limited hours on a shift pattern to keep us as safe as possible. Driving to work is odd as i’m usually sat in traffic for 45minutes but get to work in just over 15!! Also odd to walk through the quiet halls of the school and be greeted by 10 children instead of 250!! Having to keep routine as normal as possible for the children 🙂 xx

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    1. Very interesting to hear about the changes you have experienced Natalie. But great to hear the reduction in travel time! If you would like to do a blog post with me regarding your experiences I will pop my email underneath this comment. All the best with everything and stay safe!

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  8. English language teacher – working online teaching college level students in Kuwait! 22 days till summer break… not like I’m counting or anything… 😝

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    1. Do you want to do a blog post with me? Let me know and I will pop my email below and contact you over there 🙂 it would be great to hear more of your story from Kuwait! But understand if you’re too busy 🙂

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  9. Im a key worker, working shifts. The positives are the roads are so quiet, everyone appears to be friendlier when out walking, dog walking, etc. I find the supermarket experience better as everyone is quietly shopping and not rushing around with no time. I have enjoyed having my wife at home (working from home) and my son (home schooling) so for me I havent had to stare at 4 walls all day, so it hasn’t felt like a lockdown that others have experienced.

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    1. If you would like to share your story with us I can provide an email to do a joint post with you, up to you! I do feel the quieter streets are making everyone friendlier! It is like Christmas Day in that sense haha.

      Pleased you and the family are well. Stay safe out there!

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  10. I work in a local supermarket, so I easily can continue to walk to work. When the virus first hit, it was really stressful with some people not fully grasping the situation. However now people are actually appreciating us properly. For me, nothing really has changed as when I am not working, am at home writing or reading 🙂

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    1. I am pleased you are still able to work (without having to get public transport either!) and customers are appreciating what you do. I can imagine that it was stressful at first, it does seem a lot calmer when I am doing my shopping too.

      Thanks Suzie, and stay safe!

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  11. I work for a well-known range of DIY stores in the UK. I used to be a kitchen designer but currently I’m part of the team processing Click and Collect orders (which is the only way anyone can buy anything from us at the moment). It used to take me 15 – 20 minutes to drive to work but now only takes 6 – 10, which is good. We normally have a staff of 60, but 2/3 have been furloughed and we’re running the show with just 19 at the moment.
    As a kitchen designer I mostly just sat at a desk and used a computer. Now I’m on my feet all day long, shifting fairly hefty loads, and walking what feels like miles (I reckon about 8 miles a day, judging by how much my feet are hurting).
    At least now people are mostly ‘getting’ it, although I do still have to remind members of the public not to come too close to me when I’m taking their details (they’re supposed to stay in their cars and wait for us to come to them but they often get out and try to enter the store).
    I’m still blogging – I post every other day. I had this crazy idea that I would continue to post ‘normal’ posts, that were unrelated to Covid-19. But then I realised that this IS normal now.
    Stay safe, stay sane.

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    1. This is the normal now! But hopefully normal changes again to what it used to be 🙂

      This is a fascinating insight as I have wondered what it would be like to work in a store, with all the customers and how the panic has (hopefully) died down a little. I think it is good that you are able to blog about the current situation to look back on in future!!

      Stay safe too 🙂

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  12. I was working each weekday from March 23rd til this past Friday, 5 hours in the morning, doing background checks and fingerprinting for people needing to keep their work licenses in check or looking for jobs. Considering the numbers of people getting laid off or temporarily so, I elected to keep going. As an employee that’s contracted to help with the government, I had an essential worker exemption that let me stay open in case any officers came by (multiple businesses run out of my part of the building, and i was only operating one of them). Security only came by once to really check and I guess verify things–nice guy, I totally got it.

    But being that I’m pre-diabetic and anemic, and that more and more people were NOT at home (and more and more people were seeing me for services since most of the other locations doing my job were shut down due to lack of staff or fear of infection), I figured I’d quit while I was ahead. Besides, our area is supposed to peak around this time and I figured I’d rather ride it out at home. I’ve got a fridge and pantry full of food, plenty for the fish, dogs and birds, too, so I’m not worried about any of that.

    What worries me is that east of Houston, other than big shopping strips comprised of mom and pop shops, clothing stores, or big restaurants, parking lots everywhere have plenty of traffic. I drove by the Lowes home improvement store Friday afternoon and the parking lot was practically full! Glad I decided not to go in there, or Home Depot around the corner. Seems like all the big chain stores that WEREN’T clothing or Hobby Lobby were doing brisk business.

    I decided to go get some wine next door to where I had to pick up some other supplies, got a few bottles and extra glasses for my cabinet, and left. The only reason I went in (other than hoping they had some fruit wine I like) was that very few people were in the building in the first place, so distancing was easy, but also the few I saw coming out had some protective gear on. So did the staff inside.

    I’m getting to the point where the last thing I wanna see is a crowd. And especially one without PPE.

    I worry that this scattershot method of dealing with this virus in public is not doing a damned bit of good around here. I was hoping VERY few people would be out and about.

    I have no plans or desire to drive anywhere. I’m staying inside because of intermittent rain, needle-pointing like crazy (for some reason, I’ve been obsessed with finishing these Kleenex box covers I’ve started). I’ve got plenty of coffee, it’s just running out of creamer later that I’m a bit concerned with. But I might just have enough to last a few more weeks, I hope. There’s always lactose free milk in the fridge if I’m desperate enough. Unless it’s an online order for Home Depot that I can get guys to load in the back of my truck for me, I don’t plan to leave the house.

    Too many people right now, and I’m not assured this is going to improve any time soon. I wanted to work long enough to build up a safety net, and I have enough of one in case I’m stuck out a few more weeks. I’m okay with that. I need to learn what it means to have time to work on plans around the house and get things done (though today I’m stalling badly!). So, other than congestion due to allergies, I’m treating this like a staycation. And i”m so glad I live out county where I sit on a few acres and can go outside far away from people any time I want. The birds and squirrels are the best neighbors right now, and i’m good with that.

    Be well, all, and stay safe, even if some “invincible dummies” try to make that difficult.

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    1. Thank you for the insight! I appreciate the time take to give us a little into your life right now. And if you would like to expand for a blog post I can add to my blog I can happily send you an email.

      I hope all is well and that everything improves for us all soon! And hello to Texas, I miss living there 🙂

      Stay safe!

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  14. I’m a fibre engineer working for Openreach so unfortunately I can’t do my work from home! Having the skills to fix the nation’s internet and phone lines makes us key workers and often known as the ‘fourth emergency service.’ Luckily, my role isn’t based in customers homes but more outside in the field, however I still feel some natural anxiety when I leave the house. I also feel proud and somewhat grateful, that I can go to different locations, and not experience so much ‘cabin fever.’
    Your blog is always a joy to read. Stay safe 🙂

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    1. Thanks Grace! If you would like to do a post on this for me to share during my lockdown posts I would be happy to, just let me know and I can add my email here.

      You are definitely a key worker, thanks for what you do!

      I appreciate your kind words, thank you so much for following my blog. Stay safe too!

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  15. Pingback: Thank you for your help! – One Chance to See the World

  16. Sam- I think this is a brilliant idea and I hope you are able to get lots of information to write multiple posts. I am a key worker. I am a paralegal in a law firm. One of the reasons that I cannot do my job from home or on the computer is because of privacy for the clients and confidentiality. The other is because of massive paper files. Even though they are scanned in, sometimes reading someone’s hand writing requires looking at the original document. In the office I work in, we all have our own office spaces. We can close the door if we need to but I don’t really see my co-workers unless they pop into my office or I go to theirs to ask a question. There is an attorney across the hall from me but I don’t see him unless he leaves his office or I leave mine. I like the opportunity to get out of the house five days of the week. In the morning, my drive to work is really quiet. Hardly, any cars on the road. I have noticed after lunch, especially on nice days, there are more and more people getting out. Hope this is helpful. I am enjoying reading about your walks through London. Take care. -Jill

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    1. Thanks Jill for sharing! I am finding it fascinating to hear the stories of key workers around the world so I appreciate your insights greatly. It is good that you are still able to leave the house too, making this isolation a little easier I would imagine.

      Thank you again and I hope you are having a great week!

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      1. Yes, it does help to get out. Businesses are starting to open up here. It feels like a breathe of fresh air. Looking forward to reading about how London will start re-opening? Hopefully soon?

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