For thousands of New Yorkers working from home is the new normal amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Getting work done at home, when it’s usually done elsewhere is its own challenge. This can be true even for those who live alone but share their home with one or more pets.
Navigating the situation seems to be trial and error as workers across the city prepare to conduct business from home for an undetermined amount of weeks, possibly months.
NY1 meteorologist Erick Adame is working from home, bringing viewers the forecast from his living room. What the public doesn’t see is this, his cat pawing the TV screen. He posted the moment online with the caption “The challenges of working from home are very real”. Others have been sharing their own stories on social media and with each other.
While cute and silly photos abound of pets, adjusting to owners in self quarantine seems to be an issue for Gatsby, NY1 reporter Clodagh McGowan’s Boston terrier.
“It’s definitely been an adjustment I don’t think he’s used to us being home so often but he definitely doesn’t hate it,” said McGowan.
They can also be distracting, personally while my dog Sophie sleeps for most of the time that I am home.
There are other times where they won’t leave you alone.
“Believe me if wants to go out for a walk it doesn’t matter if there’s a deadline you’re working on you must stop so he can go outside,” said McGowan.
NY1’s Shannan Ferry tweeted about Governor Cuomo’s struggles.
“I live alone. I’m even getting annoyed at the dog,” the Governor tweeted.
Annoyed or not, the company that pets provide amid the coronavirus chaos can be helpful in keeping owners calm and stave off feelings of isolation amid social distancing.