I read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal— people who are being forced away from work at home are opting to get fired, and more and more of them are in a panic realizing they may never find another work from home gig.
Crazy.
So when the Scamdemic first hit back in, what 2019/2020- normal people reached out to me asking me for tips. How did I successfully work from home? How did I get dressed everyday? How did I not eat all day long? What was my secret!!???
I’m not kidding either, it was easily fifteen different friends and relations who reached out. The panic in their voices struck me. I told them my rules;
I shower and get dressed the second I wake up. I’m not one to wander down to the breakfast table in a robe and slippers. I like to get dressed right away— not only does the shower wake me up, but I’ve often had someone ring the bell at the ungodly hour of 930am and I don’t want to look like I just rolled out of bed.
I only work in my home office. I don’t do anything in there except work. Okay, I sometimes read a book or sit in a comfy chair looking at reference, and yeah, I’ve even taken a nap with the dog up there, but it is a place of work. I don’t eat up there, I do often take a coffee and I keep a steady stream of drinking water right next to me.
I work eight to ten hours a day, and I take breaks every 90 minutes where I get up and use some exercise equipment— those rubber band things, a medicine ball, weights— I give it about 5-10 mins every 90 minutes. I also go down three flights of stairs (and three back up) to get water, a coffee refill, etc.
I eat lunch regularly between 1:30-2:30 - if the weather is nice I’ll eat out on my deck. If it’s one of the 600 days of winter we have in New England I at least try and get some sun — my kitchen has big windows and gets a lot of sun.
I usually take a coffee break at 4:30— that’s much quicker than lunch.
Dinner is usually 7-7:30— and if I haven’t gotten an honest days work in then I have to go back after dinner. If not I shut everything down and I usually prep work for the next day. I try and take a walk after dinner and I eat small portions and I don’t snack. That’s how I keep my weight at 160lbs.
If the mood strikes me I’ll work pretty late, which is why I often sleep until 9am— but I tend to plan on getting up at 8:30— but I don’t set an alarm because I don’t like them. I hate being jarred awake.
Many of those who reached out put on a lot of weight and couldn’t wait to get back to work. A few managed to make it work, and a couple still do a majority of work from home. But it seems like there is a large group of people who don’t want to go back— and I’ll be honest with you after 35 years I don’t think I could work in an office again.