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.

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