I entered this week with big plans for getting my project underway. On Tuesday, I (virtually) spoke with two team members at my organization on their experience. These team members provided me with excellent feedback for how to improve organization operations. Within the daily workflow, opportunities to speak on one’s experience as an employee do not always present themselves. It can thus be difficult for employees to share their opinions and suggestions on how to better their workplace. Reaching out to my peers in the organization illuminated the value of seeking out these experiences. As I continue with my project, I will continue gathering experiences from my coworkers and incorporating their suggestions into my work.

On Wednesday, I woke up early to get ready for the staff meeting at 9am. I was looking forward to catching up on what everyone at Local Matters is working on. However, I woke up feeling ill. This is not the first time since 2020 that I have felt sick, but I knew my 2.5 year streak of not catching Covid-19 was coming to an end. I took a rapid covid test to ensure I would not put my coworkers at risk. I slowly watched the second pink line appear on my rapid test indicating that I have the virus.

Though I often work from home in my role, I understand that rest is absolutely essential for recovery from an illness. Therefore, I did not work after notifying my supervisor of my results. Three days into my isolation, I am still suffering from the infamous “covid brain” that makes doing tasks requiring brain power difficult. When I begin to feel better, hopefully this weekend, I will catch up on my work. For now, I am simply letting my body and mind rest to accelerate my recovery.