Navigating A New Routine

I am a Senior IT Systems Engineer in the IT Department and I’ve been working at Palo Alto Networks for 2.7 years. My wife, Viki, is a Deputy Manager of the X-Ray Department for Assuta Hospital in Ashdod and we have 2 kids, Nicole who is 6 years old, and Adam who is 3 years old.

Before this crazy COVID-19 period, I would go into the office every day. And, although I had the option of working from home when needed, I really preferred going into our cool office and working with my team in person. After a day at the office, I would commute back home and spend some time supporting my colleagues in the United States. Since COVID-19, my routine has changed.

Now I work from home every day with our 2 kids. My wife is very busy working at the hospital, so it is quite challenging at home at times. I’m learning how to balance my days as a dad and as an employee. The only time I get to work quietly is at noon, while my youngest child is sleeping and the older one is watching her daily movie, or in the evenings when my wife is back from work.

Since my wife and I work from home in the evenings, we already have a dedicated room with a working station. So didn’t have to upgrade anything special. I have a large deck with a 25″ screen which I connect my laptop to – not as comfortable as my 3 large screens at work, but does the trick 🙂

Throughout this, I have learned that there are advantages to working from home. Between attending Zoom sessions, managing my daily tasks and projects, and working closely with my teammates, I can be as effective working from home as I am working at the office. I’ve also learned to be more flexible with my working hours so I could spend more time with my kids while balancing my job. And one of the biggest advantages of working from home is, of course, the time saved on commuting.

Palo Alto Networks has provided support to all its employees and has set aside additional funds to make sure their employees are taken care of. I personally feel like whatever is needed for an employee to work efficiently will be provided. The entire organization understands this special situation and is really supportive of all employees.