I commuted to an office in midtown Manhattan for 10 years before moving to San Diego where I began working remotely. It’s awesome. It’s also really hard sometimes. I wanted to share some tips for working from home for those of you that are transitioning from office life into the remote life. Here’s what I try to do:
ROUTINE. You must keep a routine. Set your alarm and wake up at the same time every day. Most of you will have to keep your same work hours that you do now but just because you don’t have a commute doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still wake up early. My ideal day morning routine would go*: (I work east coast hours)
530a wake up. Brush my teeth, wash my face, apply my serums and SPF, get dressed, make my bed. I then make coffee and read the news for 20 minutes and then meditate for 20 minutes before starting work at 630a.
It’s just as important to also remember that office hours should still apply. As long as I get done what I need to get done, I will stop working by 3p. I often revisit it later on in the night but at 3p I get up and leave my office.
*This is my ideal day, not what I’m able to do in reality. If i were a better person i would do this every day. Be a better person than me.
GET DRESSED
There have definitely been days where I’ve enjoyed working in yoga pants and a big sweater. Treat yourself for sure. But since this is most likely going to last longer than 2 weeks, it will be important to draw physical lines in your life between work hours and non-work hours. I will put on jeans and a sweater even if I know Troy is the only person that’s going to see me. Sometimes I’ll even curl my eyelashes if I’m really feeling saucy. It sounds silly but it’s really important.
CREATE DEDICATED WORK SPACE
This will be tough for people in NYC who have small apartments but do not work from your bed. Create a space that is your work station. I remember during Hurricane Sandy, Kaylin and I turned our dining room table into our shared office space. Put a cushion on your chair or order a Tush Cush. Make the space pretty. For the longest time I didn’t decorate the space where I spent 8 hours a day in at least. I don’t know why it took me so long but make the space effective and make it pretty. Be a better person than me (starting to sense a theme here). https://www.amazon.com/Tush-Cush-Original-Orthopedic-Cushion/dp/B000AQE2EY
PLAY MUSIC
I try to have low jazz or my favorite spotify playlist playing. I have to keep it quiet because I have a lot of meetings. Usually Troy will put it on in the morning but it’s really quite lovely and a treat you can’t really enjoy in office life.
GO OUTSIDE
I also try to take a quick break and walk to the end of my street or around the block. I’ll bring a Komobucha or a sparkling water. Ideally Troy comes with me if he can but if he can’t I’ll sit on a bench and go through my photos or text with friends.15 minutes max.
In the age of social distancing, I’d say it’s still important to get outside. Go up to your rooftop, or take a walk in the park.
BOUNDARIES
Troy and I both already work from home so we have had to learn that just because we are both home doesn’t mean that we’re always available to each other. He works from the attic and I work from the home office so we’re physically separated. But the days that he works from the couch, it’s important that we still respect each other's space. We’ll literally text each other from the other room so that if we’re in the middle of something else, it’s not an interruption. I am the worst at this and bug Troy all the time. Be a better person than me.
TALK ON THE PHONE
The hardest thing for me is that I’m an extrovert, I love people and crave human interaction. I get lonely easily and find myself chatting it up with the mailman (Hi Steve!). It helps to talk with friends - I text throughout the day regularly with my friends (whats up Kait and Catherine) and have some epic group chats going on (shoutout to my psycho cousins). But make actual phone calls. I absolutely hate talking on the phone but it’s really important. After I do I feel so much better. My brother Eliot calls and it’s so nice to HEAR his voice. Facetime with your mom. Thank you Kaylin for being the friend that always responds to a text with a phone call.
EXERCISE
Download an exercise app like sweat or OBE fitness, become a runner, watch yoga youtube videos. It is so easy to become sedentary. There are some days when it gets to 3p and I’ve taken 500 steps total. This will make you depressed. Trust me.
BREAK THE ROUTINE
To go full circle here - enjoy the freedom that comes from this as much as you can. Take a meeting from under your covers. Spend an hour during the normal hours reading a book and make up for the time later. Watch an episode of something with lunch. Cook an elaborate breakfast. Have afternooon sex. Before you know it you’ll be back in the grind and the world is going to look a lot different on the other side of this. Make magic where you can.
These are generic tips for people who are making this transition. There are specific COVID tips you should follow too, like washing your hands regularly and disinfecting your apartment or house. Follow those first and foremost but I wanted to send this out there for those of you that are having anxieties about it.
Love you guys and good luck!