Greetings Daizies,
A lot has changed since my last blog post. It was #LaunchDai and I released my first product, the #HydratingButtercream! Since then I’ve sold 30 products in just 3 weeks! With all of that being said, I’m glad I was able to launch my haircare business and meet new Daizies at the Seattle Natural Curls event before… the rona.
My oh my have things seemed to turn upside down in the matter of just weeks. It was like watching a wave coming from afar and then it finally hits you and you’re swallowed within it. I don’t know about you, but I felt so relieved when we were ordered to WFH until the end of the month. Because at the beginning of March I was honestly ready for the month to be over. I felt swallowed in the responsibilities ahead and really really needed to rest. So week one of WFH was a blessing, a dream come true.
I didn’t think mandatory WFH would extend more than 2 weeks. And honestly i can’t believe it’s already in week 3. Here’s where I started to feel my days blend into one another. My eyes felt blurry and not leaving the house can start making me feel sluggish. So to combat bring some fun and productivity into WFH I found these things super helpful:
Morning Yoga
Yoga to start my day has been a constant in my life for more than a decade. Although the commute and getting dressed routine has been cut out, I make sure to wake up with enough time before a meeting to still have my full yoga time. Having a relaxing activity to help set the tone of my day helps me to fully wake up my mind and body for the day.
Set a Time to Get Some Fresh Air
I could spend about 2 days in the house without seeing the light of day but I have been feeling way more energetic by actually getting some sunlight on my skin. Seeing daylight helps to keep a healthy sleep pattern which will help with avoiding the temptation of taking the mid-day naps when your bed is literally RIGHT there.
Remember to eat food at a specific time
On a normal workday, I would have about 30 minutes to peacefully eat my breakfast, prepared the night before, while listening to one of my favorite podcasts on the way to work. To get as much sleep as possible I do find myself eating lunch during the intro morning email checking or during a meeting. But one thing I want to work on is still setting out at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted breakfast time. Besides breakfast, this week I’ve been making sure I just stop working to eat lunch around noon-ish, remember to eat snacks and try my hardest to not eat dinner past 9 pm.
Still Have a Bedtime!
Let’s make sure we actually take advantage of being able to WFH by getting a full 8 hours of sleep. If you stay up till 3 am and have a 10 am meeting then you’ll probably feel even more sluggish when it’s time to start the day. But if you get in the bed at midnight, you’ll have the opportunity to get 8+ hours of sleep on a regular basis. My goal is to be in bed around midnight so I can get all of the rest I dreamed of at the beginning of the month when I wanted to work from home regularly so badly. This will also be helpful when it’s time to wake up earlier when it’s back to work as usual.
Stay Hydrated
I usually carry a gallon of water to work every day. Its weight reminds me to keep on drinking. Not having to carry my jug has kind of had me behind schedule from drinking a full gallon but I’ve been making a conscious effort to stay on track with my hydration goal.
Organize Your Working Space – free from clutter
Your work and living spaces are now intertwined. On the day when I had tons of unfolded laundry in my living room and on my bed, I felt like my day was in disarray. It was hard to focus or stay attentive to one thing with the mountain of clothes swallowing my workspace. Having a clean area helped to feel like I had something in order and I was able to get more done. Try to make your space as comfortable and inviting as possible. Things like candles, diffusers, and natural light help foster a productive mood.
Keep Your Work/Life Boundaries – stop working at a certain time
It’s easy to check “just one more email” or to be active on the team chat since you never left the spot you were working in. So my goal is to stop working by 5 pm so that I can move along with my day and have time for my personal life. A transitional activity has helped me switch gears from work to my after-work life. For example, an evening walk helps to put away the thoughts and tasks from work and ease into other activities. Or even talking on the phone to a friend or family member as a fun way to ease out of work.
Socialize With Others (remotely)
Well quarantine season has given me some time to actually figure out TikTok so I’ve been learning some dances and sharing with my friends. There’s FaceTime, tv shows, books, and games to play with people online and talk about later. Finding time to laugh and have some sort of shared experience of joy will help us get through this very interesting and critical time in the world.
What things have helped you be productive while in quarantine?
As always,
