Working from home? Make it work for?you!

Some quick insights into how I've adjusted to working from home, and how after some tweaks and experiments - I've found my own personal Zen, right here at home <3

This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the present. More specifically, enjoying the present, rather than waiting for some future event, and how I can incorporate this thinking into my “new normal” of working full time remote.

Right now – where are you sitting / standing? What’s the make and model of device that you’re reading this on? Without looking down – which shoes are you wearing? Just pause for a moment, and answer these 3 questions to yourself, (without rushing).

I appreciate that not many of us have time to ponder the feeling of our shoes all day, but for me it’s a (positive) trigger, to remind me to come back to the moment, feel my breath, and truly focus on what I’m doing, instead of half concentrating, half thinking of something else. My mind used to jump from different devices, multiple priorities, tasks, etc.,

I know – focus. I’m not explaining anything new here. We all know what focus is, but here are some tips that have helped me to focus more and eventually find my very own WFH Zen.

1.    Accepting that I can control my own feelings – regardless of my environment.

To use a simple example, my neighbours are having an extension built onto their house right now. How lovely for them, but not ideal for me to have construction going on outside my window. When I realised that it’s a big project and will take several months – my heart sank.

Just for a second thankfully, then I put on some noise cancelling headphones, got on with my work – and mentally permitted the builders to get on with theirs. Something can only bother you if you allow it to. Acceptance is the cure for irritation, but of course – that’s easier said than done!

2.    Working to my own rhythm

Once of the great advantages of working from home is the freedom that it allows. I’m not a morning person. Getting up when it’s still dark outside feels totally unnatural to me, so (needless to say) exercising outdoors in the freezing pre-dawn isn’t my idea of a good time. 

Exercising at mid-day however, benefits my health and mood.

For me, a mid-day workout is perfect way to split the day into two separate halves. I get outside for a nice ride on my bicycle, or I might try a new HIIT class via YouTube. It’s not complicated or difficult, and it gets me fired up to do my best work in the afternoon.

I’m not suggesting that everyone should exercise at lunch time, but I do suggest that everyone discovers their own natural rhythm and working style and pulls with that rather than against! We all know that the traditional 9-5 world is quickly becoming a thing of the past, so let’s take it a step further - what parts of the day do you treasure the most?

What would your day look like if you were to do all of your favourite things, and fit your work in to the hours in between?

3.    Mix it Up

For many of us right now, a “change of scenery” is much desired, but may not feel possible. It may require some creativity, but no matter what type of home you live in, a change of scenery is possible.

I implore you to find a new working space to move to. I’m fortune enough to have a desk, chair, monitor etc. at home, but honestly – seeing the same view every day led me to boredom, and a severe sense of eternal same-ness.

I needed to innovate, to change my views and my outlook (literally). A few Fridays ago, I moved my work devices to a new spot in the dining room, and found it made a huge difference to my Monday morning - simply having a “new desk” to go to!

Need a standing desk? All you need is a hard surface, and a box that’s slightly bigger than your laptop. Minimal assembly required – and Bingo - You have a new office (and maybe even a new outlook).

4.    Lists 4 Lyfe.

I appreciate that gratitude is starting to feel like a buzzword, and that we are all sick of hearing that we should be mindful, we should be grateful for what we have, etc.

For me personally, gratitude is absolutely crucial to my happiness. I could wax lyrical about the practice of gratitude and gratitude lists, but let’s leave that for a future blog.

For today, I’ll share how making lists is key part of my personal WFH Zen. Every evening, I make a list of things I want to focus on the following day.

This habit has two big benefits pour moi –

1.    It takes work matters out of my mind, and parks them safely on my list, until I return to work. By simply writing things down, I free up big chunks mental attention and short-term memory.

2.    Most crucially, start every single work day with a read through the list.

For me, the hardest part of any task is often getting started. By having a list of tasks ready to tackle, I’m never stuck wondering how to get the ball rolling, the starting line is clear, I just need to turn up and get going.

5.    Appreciating the little things.

Now more than ever, we have time. At the start I fell into the trap of assuming I needed to be busy – because I’d always been “busy” and that was what I was used to.

Since WFH, I am more productive, and have more free time to appreciate life’s tiny pleasures. Can you find just a few minutes in your day to sit somewhere different, and drink your coffee, without your phone / laptop? If yes – Splendid! Enjoy those minutes and listen to the birds singing.

If you’re a reader like me, treat yourself to a mid-day break and enjoy a chapter of whatever you’ve got open. I can safely say I have never left the office to go outside and read, but WFH makes it a daily possibility.

I no longer need to rush in the mornings, because I don’t need to catch a train (hurrah), and as I mentioned earlier – not a morning person, so starting my day in the comfort of my home vs. sharing a cramped carriage with countless strangers = ZEN

Having more time to spend with my husband = further ZEN

Working to my own personalised rhythm and schedule, vs. working to the clock = Complete ZEN!

To summarise; I’ve changed my mindset. Rather than thinking of then vs. now, ZEN for me has been simply accepting the here and now, and finding those little pockets of joy in my every day <3 The past and the future are what they are – and comparing either to the present day is a totally fruitless exercise that will drain your time and mental resources.

Instead, if you are reading this and working from home, I implore you to treat yourself to just 15 minutes today (during business hours of course) to do your favourite non-work activity.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to attend to item 7 on my list for today: Yoga.

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Further Reading:

·     The Checklist Manifesto: How to get things right, by Dr. Atul Gawande

·     Atomic Habits by James Clear

·     The Magic of not giving a F*** by Sarah Knight @ TedX