I cannot even believe that it's been more than one full year of working from home. I’ve worked for a company for 8 years that has leaders who used to believe that working from home wasn’t working. In fact, one of those leaders used to tell people “If I don’t see you, it doesn’t count.” I think about this often and have been reflecting on what I’ve learned in this new environment so I can plan to succeed as I continue forward. Below are my best suggestions for managing the work from home life.
First: Create a space that’s exclusive to work. This space, if possible, should not overlap with other parts of your life. Keeping your work space separate allows you to shut down and put it away each night and on the weekends. For me, it's a little nook at the top of our stairs. It gets natural light from the windows at the front of the house and is far enough way from distractions so I can focus on my work. I recommend blue light blocking glasses if you stare at a screen all day, an adjustable desk so you can stand when you want, and a comfortable chair. Make sure you have supplies too. A notepad, some pens, sticky notes, mini fan/heater, water bottle, chapstick/lip gloss and a small bottle of lotion. (And yes, that's a LEGO pirate ship on the ledge).
Second: Work from home can easily turn into work from home all hours of the day. This is an easy trap to fall into as you don’t have the commute time to separate your day and provide you with closure. An easy way to escape this is to make sure you set work hours, create a list each morning and afternoon/evening (before you log off) of your work so your brain can stop thinking about it, shut down your computer when you’ve finished for the day, and if you have one, leave your work phone on DND or turn notifications off. You need the break and you deserve the break. This allows you to become solely focused on family, pets or friends.
Third: Establish a routine. Recently, I’ve found that if I get up at 6, I am able to clear through my inbox and start knocking down my task list. Then I can get my son’s lunch ready, take my dog out, play with him and still have time to make and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee before I have to wake my son up to get him ready for school. For the times I am taking him to school and picking him up, I set my status to out of office so no one expects an immediate response from me. I ignore all work alerts, and make sure my time with Mason is meaningful and all about him and his day. Also, don’t forget to schedule break times for yourself, even if it just means you walk away for 5 minutes to refill your water bottle and stretch your legs. A routine will help you feel less chaotic throughout the day.
Fourth: Set boundaries because workplace bullies still exist. You know them, they are the ones who manipulate you into feeling guilty when you attempt to set boundaries or say no to a request because you just can’t take anymore. They send emails at all hours of the day in threats, talk passive aggressively, expect you to alter your processes to fit their needs, and make any anxiety you might already be dealing with multiply by a thousand. Those people will never change, so learning to work with them will be key. Ignoring those late night emails and sometimes just getting on the phone and jumping out of email can help you quickly diffuse any potential escalation before it ruins your day (or week).
Fifth: Find natural ways to keep your body healthy and focused throughout the day. For me, this is an easy one as my love for doTERRA essential oils came fast last year. I take Life Long Vitality supplements, diffuse and ingest certain oils and take additional supportive supplements as needed to get me through my days. This has been a major game changer. My mood is overall better and I feel more in control of my health and emotions. Plus, I’m not adding any unnecessary toxins to my body. The more I learn about oils and their properties, the better I am prepared to know exactly what I need in the moment. I also have a standing desk which I take advantage of often just for a change of pace and to keep my body from getting stiff and being in a chair all day. I also keep a 32oz water bottle full of fresh water every day, refilling as often as needed.
Finally, give yourself (and others) some grace. We’ve all been through one hell of a year and everyone’s situation is different. Be kind and respectful to others and don’t be afraid to be a little selfish with your time. If you can’t get everything done one day, that is okay.
I hope this helps someone out there with any struggles they might be facing while working from home. If you have any other best practices, leave them in the comments below!
xoxo,
Rachel
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