Desk for a Day at Wanuskewin

Like many of you, I have been working from home for the majority of this past year. Working from home is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the plus side, the fridge and its endless snacks are just a stone’s throw away. On the downside, the fridge and endless snacks are just a stone’s throw away. My “home office” is also used as a spare bedroom, home gym, and storage unit. Not very inspiring. So today I wanted to be inspired. I grabbed my coffee to go and *gasp* left the house. I took the short drive out to Wanuskewin and took advantage of their Desk for a Day.

I was greeted with what I am sure was a very friendly smile underneath the mask. After a few quick screening questions, I was at my desk for the day. Look at that view!

My desk even came with my very own succulent! Between you and me, I seem to kill every plant I’ve ever owned so it was nice to have a plant around without the added pressure of keeping it alive. All the perks, none of the commitment!

I had a busy day planned which of course included a number of zoom calls (did people even zoom before the pandemic!?).  Zoom fatigue can be real and I spent the time in between calls looking out over the Opimihaw Valley and I cannot believe how relaxing it felt. I also used this time to tackle a few projects that required more creativity and focus and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of work I had just accomplished.

Before I knew it, it was time for lunch so I headed to the restaurant for a bite to eat. If you are like me and don’t/can't cook then having access to a full-service restaurant with tasty Indigenous cuisine is an absolute win! After lunch, I spent some time wandering through the interpretive centre’s new exhibits.

As I walked through the different exhibits, I could really feel the history of this site, which has been a gathering place for Indigenous people of the northern plains for over 6400 years. That is older than the pyramids of Egypt! I left feeling inspired and recharged.  I actually lost track of time and ended up taking a long lunch while I explored and learned more about my surroundings. Shhhh, don’t tell my boss. Sometimes you have to disconnect to reconnect.

I was able to tackle the afternoon feeling inspired and optimistic. In a blink of an eye, it was time to pack up my things and call it a day. I highly recommend this experience for anyone who needs a change of scenery and perspective in their work life. One thing I have learned over this past year is the importance of work-life balance. Take some time for yourself and Treat. Yo. Self.

Thank you, Wanuskewin, for a welcoming, restorative, and fulfilling day!