Sometimes, the hardest thing about working from home is coordinating what your mindset is and what you need it to be. When there's an assignment due, but you can't help staring out the window at what promises to be the last gorgeous day of summer OR when you're suddenly completely and utterly focused on the task at hand and miss picking the little ones up from school, your mindset isn't in sync with your life.
I've struggled with this, probably more frequently than not, but have some strategies that help me (when I remember to use them).
Focusing Techniques – for those times when you can't, for the life of you, stay on task.
First, step away from your desk. If possible, go into another room, but if not, make sure you turn AWAY from your computer or whatever it is you're working on. Then try one of these, depending on how much time you have.
- Have 10 minutes?
- Meditation – Sit comfortably. No need to turn yourself into a pretzel. If it's more comfortable, put a pillow under the back part of your butt to help straighten your spine so you don't slouch. Picture something peaceful, but still – a flower, a rock? My favorite is a perfect, round, Granny Smith apple. Breathe slowly. In through your nose, out through your mouth.
- Walk around the block – Get your blood moving.
- Have a bite – Have an apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter or some crackers and hummus. Not a full meal – just enough to give you some energy.
- Have 20 minutes?
- Take a nap – Okay, this one doesn't work for me very well, but I've heard that it can do wonders! Set a timer so that you don't oversleep, and dim all of the lights. Get comfortable; warm, but not all covered up like it's midnight, and close your eyes.
- Take a shower – Slightly brisk. Spend an extra minute or two with a loofah or scrubbie to get your blood flowing
- Have 30 or more minutes?
- Exercise – Fifteen minutes out, fifteen minutes back. Walk, jog, run. Jump rope. Put the kids in a stroller and go! There's nothing like exercise to get your endorphins flowing. And those, my dear, will help you focus.
- Take a break – A real, honest to goodness break. Warning: The important thing with this one, though, is that you tell yourself, (in your MOM voice!), that you ABSOLUTELY WILL go back to work when your allotted time is up. Because otherwise, you'll be reading Blissfully Domestic (my favorite break pastime) 2 hours later and you still haven't managed to get that task done.
Relaxing Techniques – Stress reduction – you're more than an employee.
You aren't the first "remote" employee who feels they have to prove themself by working 12 hours days, weekends and holidays. I love getting up early and getting in some productive time before everyone else gets into their office. The tradeoff is that when I've put in 8 hours, everyone else is starting their sixth. The pressure can pile on until there's danger of an explosion.
- Have 10 minutes?
- Deep Breathing – This is the same as the focusing technique! Sit comfortably. No need to turn yourself into a pretzel. If it's more comfortable, put a pillow under the back part of your butt to help straighten your spine so you don't slouch. Picture something peaceful, but still – a flower, a rock? My favorite is a perfect, round, Granny Smith apple. Breathe slowly. In through your nose, out through your mouth.
- Self Massaging Techniques – Try one of these (thanks to this site)
Scalp Soother Place your thumbs behind your ears while spreading your fingers on top of your head. Move your scalp back and forth slightly by making circles with your fingertips for 15-20 seconds. Easy on the Eyes Close your eyes and place your ring fingers directly under your eyebrows, near the bridge of your nose. Slowly increase the pressure for 5-10 seconds, then gently release. Repeat 2-3 times. Sinus Pressure Relief Place your fingertips at the bridge of your nose. Slowly slide your fingers down your nose and across the top of your cheekbones to the outside of your eyes. Shoulder Tension Relief Reach one arm across the front of your body to your opposite shoulder. Using a circular motion, press firmly on the muscle above your shoulder blade. Repeat on the other side. - Have a bite -This time, though, instead of protein and a complex carbohydrate, try a piece of dark chocolate and a cup of herbal tea.
- Have 20 minutes?
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Take off your shoes. Lay down. Focus on relaxing each muscle in the following order:
- Right foot
- Left foot
- Right calf
- Left calf
- Right thigh
- Left thigh
- Hips and buttocks
- Stomach
- Chest
- Back
- Right arm and hand
- Left arm and hand
- Neck and shoulders
- Face
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Take off your shoes. Lay down. Focus on relaxing each muscle in the following order:
- Have 30 or more minutes?
- Yoga or Tai Chi- Drop in a Yoga CD or DVD. Practice some Tai Chi. If you have no experience with either, please consider taking a course in order to prevent injury. You can find qualified Tai Chi instructors or Yoga courses.
None of this is foolproof, of course. I have (yes, she says blushing) fallen asleep during an attempt at meditation -and- at the Progressive Muscle Relaxation techniques. The most important part is realizing that you're "out of synch" and employing whatever technique works for you!
What are your secrets? How do you focus? Relax? Let’s chat about it!
Ree's personal blog is My Life as a Hotfessional – if you’d like to hear about the rest of the craziness in her life, please come by for a visit.
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I'm down with the dark chocolate motivation! You've got some top ideas. I don't work from home but sometime motivation wains on the weekends when trying to be productive for my blog.
I agree, you have some top ideas here. I enjoyed reading your blog and thank you for the information.
Happy New Year!