Balancing Pandemic Imbalance

A number of years ago, I was watching the evening news and one of the local features showcased parents who not only curtailed the time their children could watch TV at night, but installed a stationary exercise bike that was hard wired to the set.

So long as the children kept pedaling, the set was on. The moment they paused they were greeted with a frozen screen.

Needless to say, there were probably very few couch potatoes in that litter.

I remembered that vignette this week when my morning paper contained an article spotlighting several devices that promised to make working remotely during COVID-19 not only more efficient but restore a semblance of balance and sanity as well.

Now I have been working remotely since 2012 and after a quarter century of commuting to New York City, admittedly, it took some getting used to. I found myself talking out loud so often, that had I been in an office, I most likely would have been escorted by human resources to a psychologist. I also missed the camaraderie, as this was several years before Zoom and Microsoft Teams became a regular part of the remote worker’s lexicon.

But on to today’s missive. The below items were billed as “five cool tools” that promised to return a degree of normalcy in what can charitably be described as “uncertain times.”

1.       Inbox When Ready. This is a free Chrome Browser extension of Gmail. It functions by hiding your inbox so you can draft new emails and messages without any distractions. It also has a feature that allows users to budget how much times they want to check their inbox each day.

2.       Bulbrite Solana LED Smart bulb. For $13.99, this is a color-changing LED device that creates visual cues to take a break from the computer by switching to warm lighting at your designated quitting time. You can also set it to activate at various times during the day for those much-needed breaks.

3.       Wired headset. Now many people currently use a wireless headset, so they can conduct business while venturing to other locations in their quarantine venue of choice. However, the theory behind having a corded headset is that it helps eradicate the barriers between the workspace and the home. Prices vary.

4.       Simple Habit. This mediation app helps workers carve out times each day to meditate and add more efficient time to your workday. Not to mention helping find that all-elusive smiley face. All for $7.99 each month.

5.      Cubli Pro. My personal favorite, a small elliptical exerciser that fits easily under a desk that allows you to track distance, strides and time elapsed. It synchs with Fitbit and Apple Watch. $349. Hey, who said staying in shape was cheap?