I’m not going to lie, one aspect of the Coronavirus that I’m not minding too terribly is the remote work that’s been happening. Of course, it’s always nice to see colleagues, but my company is 100% remote until further notice. Under non-pandemic circumstances, I still work remotely three days a week, so I’ve become a bit of a pro. Today I thought I’d share some tips for “WFH” days for those of you who are new to this world.
Wake up at your normal time.
This is crucial to feeling productive. It’s super tempting to wake up five minutes before you absolutely have to, but force yourself to get up and at ’em early. You’ll be so glad you did.
Work out.
Even if it’s a ten minute walk around your neighborhood, do something before you start the grind. It will make you so much more productive. Under non-pandemic circumstances, I do a 7:10 AM Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) class and love when I start my day with that.
During social distancing, OTF has been closed and I’m LOVING Pure Barre On Demand. It starts with a 7 Day Free Trial and is $30 after that. I started with the free trial with the intention of not continuing and it’s so good that I’m going to. Plus I know that I’m way more likely to do something when I pay for it than when it’s free.
There are also some absolutely fantastic classes that are free right now.. Perhaps I’ll compile a list next week.
Drink all the water.
I keep a 32 oz Yeti next to my work space and my goal is to get through it by lunchtime and another in the afternoon. I don’t know what it is, but it really increases my mood and I can feel a huge difference when I don’t drink as much water.
Set up a (pretty) space that’s just for work.
This is crucial. You need a space that’s for work and only for work. Since I live in 700 square feet, my space is at my kitchen table. To make this a “work only” space, I only ever sit on this side of the table when I’m working. If I’m eating at the table, I sit on the other side. It might sound arbitrary, but it makes a huge difference for me.
I also find it helpful to utilize my senses as much as I can- I try to have a pretty flowers in a vase, essential oils diffusing (this diffuser is everything), “spa music” playing (ask your Alexa to play spa music. You won’t be sorry), fresh coffee and thinking putty in hand. It might sound a bit “extra,” but it really puts me in the groove.
Create a to-do list every day.
I’m very, very much a list person and always have been. Typically I work on my to-do list for tomorrow today. That way things don’t get pushed off and I’m always on track. For example, if I call School A on a cold call today, I’ll add “send follow up email to School A” to my to-do list for tomorrow.
Sign on and off at a specified time.
I’ll admit it. I’m terrible at this. I’m always, always on but I’m one of those weird people who isn’t bothered by it. If you’re the type of person who needs to really separate work and home life, I recommend sitting down and getting rolling at, say, 8 AM. Once noon rolls around, break for lunch. If you work through lunch, maybe end a pinch earlier. You just need to find what works for you. If you have a to do list that you’re just plowing through, it’s OK to sign off a bit early as long as you’re still accessible. I do a big burst of work in the morning, take a quick lunch break and walk the dogs, do another burst, sign off, have dinner.. And check things again in the evening.
Again, it doesn’t bother me, but if it does you, find your stride.
Make yourself a healthy lunch that you really enjoy.
This is key for me. There is nothing worse than feeling like I’m sitting forever and ever and then eating a non-satisfying lunch that isn’t good for me. My typical lunch involves an berry smoothie with Arbonne vanilla protein (it’s seriously everything) and maybe some avocado toast. Yum.
Take breaks and get outside.
My doggies have to go potty around 11:30 AM and again at 3:30. It only takes a few minutes to let them out, but getting up and taking a 5-10 minute break is so great. If you don’t have a dog, set alarms to remind yourself to get up and move. It makes things lovely.
