I love hearing about people’s morning routines, what gets them going and motivated for the day, and thought I’d share mine too! I used to be the girl who worked from bed, and immediately hopped on my phone, emails etc. right when I woke up. I wouldn’t eat my breakfast until noon (still guilty of this one sometimes). This was a big no-no. I knew I had to set in some firmer boundaries, so I moved my desk entirely out of my bedroom to a space I could specifically use for “work” and since then my room has become a space of relaxation. Not computer screens, and e-mail alerts. The most that gets done in there is reading a book (whenever I get the chance to actually do so!). Creating a functional work space is one of the key models in productivity. If I don’t feel inspired in a space, or feel like I can function – I simply can’t do my best work.
Working from home is a tricky thing. I am someone who loves to dress up, get out and interact with people — but I also love being a homebody. While I do attend the occasional meeting that requires me to step out of my yoga pants, and attend some fun events — most of my job takes place at home. Being on-line has made everything simplified, because we have e-mail, skype, etc. to keep us connected at all times without ever having to leave your couch. While it has made things easier – it’s also made life feel less personable, and has made me miss face time with people (i’m not talking the iPhone version). I prefer to catch up with my friends in person, rather than text them all week, because that’s just how I gain fulfillment out of relationships.
When you have a job like mine, you have to be a self starter – you are your own boss, and have to crack the whip on yourself to make things happen. I love what I do, so this is not very hard for me, because I could literally do it all day. This can get dangerous for your mental and physical health, because while I can respect hard workers, it is not healthy to be a workaholic. To have the right energy throughout the day, every single day, we need a healthy mind. The truth is, I could work all day and night, but this would not be healthy for me. Everyone needs to clock out. Here are some other helpful tips I have found to serve me well:
– Taking frequent walks, (this gets me outside to enjoy some fresh air, and fits in exercise during a busy day to stay healthy — sitting in a chair all day has little to no benefits health wise).
– Eating away from my desk, (everyone deserves a break, and food should not be treated as something we just do or consume, it’s something we need to do consciously to function and thrive).
– Getting dressed in the morning, (even if this means you just slip in to your yoga pants, get out of your pyjamas, this little step surprisingly boosts motivation by a mile).
I’m finding these simple steps have made me appreciate working from home, and in turn left me more productive and happy. Being at home can make some people feel lazy, where all they want to do is work from their couch and this is why I have put in place certain boundaries for myself to ensure that I don’t enter either one of the spectrums: the lazy or the workaholic. I feel so blessed to do what I do, in the comfort of my own home, and to be my own boss.
I love, love, love hearing morning routines, what do yours look like? Let me hear them 🙂
Love this! I make a point to always get out of my pj's first thing or I'll still be in them at lunch haha I always eat breakfast within an hour or so of getting up – my favourite lately is tea with a banana & almond butter! I used to work from my room too, but I felt so isolated from the rest of the house (even if no one else was home) that I've moved my office downstairs – much better! xo
It has been surprisingly challenging for me to keep myself away from blogging the minute I get up. But I have gotten better! Instead I wake up, drink my coffee and read a bit then go for a walk. I don't actually even look at my email until after I shower and have my breakfast! Your tips are good ones that are very helpful!
Ashley
http://allthatglitters.co.nr
Can't wait to see your new office space!
I work from home as well, but with a tiny apartment in NYC, my office is my couch – so it's little hard to get motivated some days. I try to get out and go new places to get some work done but always end up people watching instead..
Thanks for the great tips! Great to know I'm not the only one that may stay in pajamas all day!
I just read this post on my phone in my PJs while lying in bed! I just broke all the above rules but thanks for the pep talk! I'm getting up now… Lol.
That first paragraph (working from bed in the morning) is totally me, and you're right, a total no-no! I love how I am typing this from bed…and it is noon. I need to start getting up and making my bed in the mornings. When I don't make my bed, I always find myself back in there some how…
When I'm not traveling I work from home and can totally relate to these things. Changing clothes always helps me kick start my day and I also have a separate office area away from my room. On days when I need a break I take a walk or sneak in a lunchtime yoga class.
These are some great recommendations and reminders! I'm just starting to transition into a more home-based position and I'm finding it's definitely important to set boundaries and do certain things to keep you motivated and moving forward!
my job lets me work from home sometimes and i still do the same thing every morning that i do when i go to the office. wake up, get dressed, get out of my bedroom and eat breakfast.
Wonderful post. I agree, it can be easy to slip into some poor habits if you're not conscious about your working environment. When I work from home, I feel and do my best when I start the morning with coffee, a walk outside, and getting dressed for the day. You never know when a visitor might stop by or a fun afternoon invite might come your way! 🙂
I really enjoyed these posts … Love the tip about still getting dressed in the morning, even if you're working from home. I too have to admit that if I'm not actually going anywhere, I really don't bother changing out of my pajamas. Bad bad habit. You should make more posts like these 🙂 Love to know more about your work life and other ways you stay organized !
http://www.futurelawyergirl.com
I love that you shared this Stephani! I'm a stay-at-home mommy/blogger and much of my day is spent at home (in yoga pants to boot). I love your tips for getting out, getting focused and prioritizing a little R&R!
xoxo,
Chelsea & The City
This is all so true! Being in the same shoes as you really makes me have to be intentional about getting dressed and moving into my office versus the bed. I did just purchase a desktop for my office so I'm hoping that forces me to stay in there!
xx
Although it's bad to stay in pajamas for the entire morning and work from my bed, I find that if I have the motivation to get things done right away when I wake up I might as well take advantage of it! If I distract myself from other things it's harder for me to get that motivation back. I try to make a schedule for myself each day so I know when exactly I need to be working and give myself mini beaks.
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