Under the second state of emergency, I work from home. It's been almost a year since the sudden start of WFH. Performance of my computer connecting to company network which is essential for me to work from home is, extremely slow as usual. Especially, after the second declaration of the state of emergency, the number of people working from home increased drastically, and needless to say, so does the traffic of the network. It is as if I operate a big file with windows 3.1, a quarter-century ago. It almost makes me think that this is some kind of punishment on something I did. Because the waiting period is so long, I loose my ideas and thoughts that I wanted to type, they simply evaporate while waiting for the response. Is it some kind of training given by god for a middle-aged man who is losing the ability to remember things?
Additionally, we have the hard winter in this season, it's getting colder and colder, and my electric bill for this month soars twice. I don't really want to see it, and want to consider it as a business expense. since I work from home. In Japan, there is no room for the office workers who usually work at company office to deduct this expense from income. Is this only a Japanese way of taxation?
From next section, let me talk about something that I found looking back over the past year, there were some new findings and troublesome.
New findings, good and not so good
Printing out company's documents at home is banned in my company for security reasons. At the beginning of WFH, it was really tough to make sure nothing wrong with documents since I was so used to check them with printed materials. At the end of the day, a huge size display, 34-inch, solved my trouble! It's been incredibly comfortable because I can compare two documents by opening them simultaneously without overlapping. It's the most effective and efficient work improvement among others.
But it's always pros and cons. It is the universal truth. A while later, I felt the tension on my neck worse than usual for unknown reasons. The cause was, that I set the display height in my eye level, which was a really bad idea. First I thought having the monitor in that height makes easier, however I found out it only causes pain unless there are some neck supports. I should have set the display bit lower, like level of my lower eyelid. It took me three months to find this best position.
When I think back the "usual" time when I used to work at office, wandering and waiting around the printer was an essential act which enabled me to take a walk, actually good for my health. Except going restroom and taking lunch, I can be seated all day long and finish all work on my chair. I don't want to be a man who becomes economy class syndrome at home!
Troublesome!
Kitchen isn't always a safe place for me. Having lunch and a short break at the kitchen is really precious time for me during WFH. This short and exceptionally precious time only releases the big pressure from me. But like I said, It always comes with risk, one of the worst scenario is the case I encounter my wife there. Once I sense this incident, I have to get prepared to be nagged for anything. It's still better than commuting for two hours every day.
Possible Hot Items?
Bone-conducting headset seems good for WFH because it doesn't block my ears. Which means, I can hear the environmental sound, such as doorbells. Just between you and me, I want to get delivery like a Uber Eats during a conference.
How long will this WFH last?
Likely, the situation may remain unchanged, let's say about a year from now, just because I feel like it. I don't think the vaccination project in Japan works as well as we expect today, because a certain number of people who never believe in the vaccination don't get vaccinated. Additionally, it seems that children aged 16 and under are ineligible for vaccination. It's essential that the majority of the population be vaccinated to get the effect of herd immunity. On top of that, our government has not said whether if the 2021 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be canceled or not. In case it is to be held, we will assemble various kinds of mutated COVID-19 from all over the world in Japan, I assume. It would definitely bring us back to square one if the current vaccination ends up incompetent for obtaining mutation. Honestly, I'm very very scared about this situation.
Unlike the Flu, we haven't gained a silver bullet, a convenient and specific medicine for COVID-19, yet. Being able to have them whenever gets ill is a very important point to get peace of mind. Please let me know when I can use it!
