Suddenly finding yourself faced with being home all the time, working from home, or being without work takes its toll in many ways. When you are used to being responsive to what is required by forces outside of you, having no touchstones can leave you feeling like you are floating and have no idea of what to do next. (Do you see how this applies to the meta right now?)
As someone who’s gone through this (more than once), I can tell you that it took years to (mostly) figure it out. It took a long time to release corporate mentality—especially in regard to deadlines.
There are so many pitfalls on the road to truly making your time your own, so I wanted to share some things I learned along the way that really help, in the hopes of shortening your adjustment period! So,
© Chris Benson/Unsplash
• Start Your Day—Officially. I mean it. Get up. Shower. Get yo’self dressed. It’s very easy to lose track of the world outside when you are at home for any period of time. One of the biggest mistakes people make—whether they are running a business from home or are currently in-between jobs, is “working in their bunny slippers.” So,
-Get dressed in clean clothes that you would actually wear outside. Do your hair, do yourself up. Your confidence and the quality of your communication changes when you feel good about how you look. Don’t believe me? Try writing an email or a social media post in your pajamas, and then get dressed and try to write another. The difference will be obvious!
-Shower. Bathing rejuvenates. Even at your sickest you’ve felt better after taking a shower, no matter how unmotivated you might have been to do so.
Studies have shown that bathing has a positive effect on many things, including depression, health, immunity, respiratory health, anxiety, detoxification, and the list goes on and on. PLUS, the shower is the place where you are most able relax and can therefore hear your intuition and Guidance clearly. This is why so many great ideas come freely and without disruption when you are mid-shower.
Pro Tip: Before ending your shower, change the spray to be just a little colder than the water you were bathing in. This sends all of the blood away from the skin and increases blood and lymphatic flow, increasing your health exponentially.
Losing track of personal hygiene takes its toll in many different ways. Right now, this is really important, not only for the OBVIOUS health reasons, but also for your energy level and success.
Waking up at a set time, showering, and getting dressed as though you were going to leave the house (even if you aren’t) creates boundaries, establishes rituals, and gives you back a sense of control while increasing self-esteem.
• Have Food Ready. Nourishing yourself is important, especially in times of great stress and/or change. Having foods that increase your health and vitality prepared before you are hungry guarantees that you will make better choices when you get there.
• Scheduling. One of the easiest wats to establish some sense of normalcy is to block times throughout your day. When you suddenly find yourself in charge of your own time, it can be difficult to prioritize.
-Bock self-care first, and DO NOT move these appointments. They are non-negotiable, and are the first thing you will move off of your calendar when you need to put something else on. Notice this and resist the temptation.
-Go through your weekly schedule on Sunday night. You will show you where things need to be re-balanced, and you can enter your week clear-headed, knowing what to expect, and with a plan of action.
• Set Boundaries With Your Time. Especially for things like reading the news, going on the internet, and looking at social media. You can get sucked in, which causes you to lose your power and energy.
-Setting a timer works really well for staying on-task. Decide how much time you want to spend on something and stick to it. Not done cleaning that junk drawer after the hour is up? Too bad. You will have to schedule more time another day.
Sensitives tend to push through obligations even when tired and low on energy. Blocking your time will prevent you from over-extending yourself and your energy. It also helps you to listen in and stick to our intuition, as you check in with how much time and energy you want to spend on any one task. You just need to trust the answer. No matter what. This flexes those “always listen to your intuition” muscles.
-When going online, get in, do your task (including reading the news), and get out. There might be times where you want to explore a little bit more about a certain subject. Create a block of time for “internet research” and honor that boundary.
• Movement. Moving your body is one of the fastest ways to change energy. If you want to adjust a thought, all you need to do is move a muscle. Be sure that you are mixing up short bursts of exercise between meetings or when walking from the tv to the fridge AND longer periods of movement. Workouts, dancing, jumping on the bed. It’s all good, and equally effective.
Taking control of your time and energy is imperative to thriving and surviving when home for extended periods of time. You are in charge of your energy level, and these tips will help to make sure you are not draining your supply unconsciously! No one is going to do this for you, so it’s totally up to you.
We've got this. Individually and together.