With cities across the world taking on Coronavirus, many businesses are having their employees work from home. Since I’ve worked from home since 2012, I thought I might able to offer some tips and answer any WFH questions you had. Below are some of the questions submitted on Instagram, along with my answers. I hope they help!
How to make time for yourself when you feel like you need to hustle 24/7 to make ends meet?
I think the best thing here is a shift in perspective because I used to feel like there wasn’t enough time in the day, and that was the constant thought running through my mind. That instilled this sense of scarcity of time, and the idea that I was on the back burner, which made me feel resentful - like I was on the proverbial hamster wheel - going, going, going but never getting anywhere. Then, I read this book called Can’t Hurt Me, and it completely shifted my perspective. There are enough hours, I just wasn’t using them well. If I were being 100% honest with myself, there was a lot of wasted time scrolling through my phone. I wasn’t being efficient with my time and energy when I set out to run errands, get work stuff done, etc. So I shifted my perspective. There is enough time, I just wasn’t making myself a priority. So I set out to make a change. I started by getting better sleep, getting up early, and easing into the day rather than rushing into it and flying by the seat of my pants. I started using that easing-in time to take care of myself. Instead of rushing around like a maniac, I slowly start the day by stretching, meditating, and journaling. The beauty is that the earlier you get up, the longer you have for yourself. Then I make myself coffee or a shake, turn on the music (usually Motown) and enjoy it leisurely. I don’t look at my phone until after I’m done. Starting my day off taking care of me puts me in a good mood, and from there I can operate from a place of gratitude.
How do you keep work / home balance? I find myself working from 7 to 7 just because.
Ugh, I feel you. I used to be the same way, and within a year, I had a serious breakdown and experienced major burnout. Here are some key things that helped me:
Stick to a Schedule. That schedule can change from day to day, but I like writing my day out the night before. That way, I can block out specific hours for home stuff, and specific time when it’s work time.
Take Breaks. In grad school for education, I learned that humans basically have an attention span that equals their age. So if you’re 35 years old, you can focus on something pretty intensely for 35 minutes but then your attention span start to wane. So, set an alarm for however old you are, and sit down to work. When the alarm goes off, set another timer for 5 - 15 minutes, and get up, use the bathroom, get something to drink, and move around. This not only will increase the efficiency of your work, but you won’t be as stiff through your joints because you’ll be moving throughout the the day frequently.
Get Dressed for Work. I mean, you don’t have to wear a suit or anything, but I’ve always found that when I got dressed (you know, into my fancier leggings rather than my PJs, lol) I got a lot more done.
Break Down the Work Space. I’ve found that it’s really helpful to have a dedicated work space - one that’s not front and center in your home (ie: not on the kitchen table). If you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated office space, or guest room you can work out of, it’s nice because you can close the door when work hours are over, and not have the computer staring at you while you’re trying to wash the dishes. If you don’t have space for a dedicated work area that you can leave out, then you’re probably going to be working from your kitchen or something - and that’s fine, but just be sure to break it down at the end of the work day so you can have a break from it all. I think this is really, really important, especially if you’re someone who is pretty driven and ends up working more hours than you intended to.
How to Share a Work Space with a Partner?
Ohhh this is a tough one! So my boyfriend and I share a work space area - he has a desk while I have the dining room table. What’s tough is that when one person is deep in the middle of something, the other usually isn’t and starts asking a question about something totally irrelevant and the other person can’t focus. So what we do is put on our headphones, and pretty much ignore each other until dedicated work time is over (remember, when you are setting the alarm for however minutes you are old, it’s not that long a time). So I know if I need to ask him something, I can just wait a half hour or so and we’ll both be taking a break at that time. That’s what works for us.
How to avoid overeating?
Hmm. Well, I guess the first thing you’ve gotta do is take an honest look at your diet and ask yourself if your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are nutrient dense. If you’re eating a lot of highly processed foods then they won’t keep you satiated as long and they sort of program you to overeat. If they are nutrient dense, then the next question I’d ask is if you’re drinking enough water (they say to take your weight, divide it in two, and that’s about the number of ounces you should drink per day). If you’re drinking enough and your diet is nutrient dense - then I’m willing to bet that if you set a glass of water or tea by your side, worked for however many minutes you are old, and then took a 5 - 10 minute break after, which you can consider your dedicated movement/snack time, that you wouldn’t overeat. You can also have a look at what’s stocked at your house. My go-to snacks are carrots and hummus, almonds or pistachios, cottage cheese or yogurt and berries. My boyfriend’s go-to snacks are olives, cheese, and peppers (he eats them like apples, it’s wild haha).
How do you keep working and not focusing on the “chores” that ned to get done (dishes, etc?)
Again, scheduling. Block out certain times of the day that are meant for cleaning, set your alarm and just do it. Often, it takes less time than you think. Then, block out the work hours, and truly sit and work in intervals that equal however old you are (if you’re 45, work in 45 minute increments, take a 5 - 15 minute break, and repeat).
How do you motivate yourself to wake up early, avoid procrastination, and get all the day’s tasks done?
For me, it’s a mindset shift. Instead of the thought process being: ugh, I have to work, it’s yeah! I get to work. Replace “I have to” with “I get to” and see how that sense of laziness is lightened.
What’s a good chair to sit in? Honestly, it’s the only thing ruining this Work From Home thing for me.
Ugh, sitting is the devil. It hurts my back so badly to sit for prolonged periods of time. I recently switched to a stand-up situation. I set the computer up on my kitchen counter, and stand. It’s great. My back doesn’t hurt anymore because of it. But when I do sit, I just sit in any old chair, and try to sit on the edge of the chair so that my low back doesn’t round. I gently engage the core about 20% and constantly check in to be sure my head isn’t sticking too far out and my shoulders aren’t rounding. Try switching between standing and sitting mindfully and see if it helps.