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By Abdellatif Sharaa
is normally a month like no other, and this year is something no one thought about - not even the experts in fiction movies could have come up with such a mixed scenario. In normal times, people used to go home from work at 2 or 3 in the afternoon to prepare for the iftar meal. Families used to gather for iftar, then go to the mosque for taraweeh prayers, which are particular to the month of Ramadan. Later we found streets, markets, malls and even parks full of people - I mean so full that you couldn't find a place to land a foot.
I do not want to get carried away talking about Ramadan traditions, which have been shelved this year because of something that requires so much caution and action to avoid being hurt: COVID-19. Streets are empty, people are nowhere to be seen, malls are shut and cafes are on the pause mode. Authorities decided to expand curfew hours from 4:00 pm to 8:00 am during the holy month, so most of the time will be spent indoors, and this may prompt many changes.
If I take myself as an example, and although I read much and do many things online, I found myself in the kitchen on the first day of Ramadan making qatayef (something close to pancakes), and it is a sweet particular to this month. Things went fine until my wife entered the kitchen and discovered what had happened and how the sink was full of all types of dishes that needed washing, which is something that is not pleasant.
On a more serious note, COVID-19 brought many consequences that are dangerous around the world. After starting relatively slow, it became a pandemic and spread around the world in a flash. This made most if not all countries shut down public life, schools, universities, institutions, parks, etc to keep people apart as one of the weapons in the fight against this enemy. Even corporations and companies asked their employees to work from home, while other companies asked their employees to stay home until further notice so as not to be at risk of getting the virus.
Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages at the same time. One may become relaxed more than necessary and become less productive because of the feeling that there is much more time to do things, although people should behave as if they are in the office.
Working from home requires one to have his computer, mobile phone and other gadgets in use always ready, besides having them fully charged in case power is lost. One may find it reasonable to work while in bed, which is totally wrong and may trigger the notion of laziness and the person will not be able to complete the job correctly and on time.
In fact it is advised that one should put on clothes as if they will actually go out while working at home, as this helps to have a feeling of being at work. It will be great if one designates a certain corner at home to work, as this will also give the feeling of being in the office. Being in touch with colleagues and superiors is something good, as work ethics should be followed even at home, while colleagues should encourage each other as they may feel stressful in such a situation, and avoid harsh criticism of those who make a mistake or two.
Final word: "Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence." - Anon
