Working from Home
We are in the thick of week five of our organization working 100% remotely. I’m so thankful we were proactive in taking these measures and were safely hunkered down before the virus really started ramping up in our area. Like everyone else, the process of adjusting to working fully remotely coupled with weathering a global pandemic and constantly changing information has taken it’s toll. Thankfully for us, we’ve maintained our health and it’s been mostly a mental game as we navigate every day. The end of last week was especially tough for me as I finally realized that this is truly our new normal - there is no end in sight. Even when they begin to slowly reopen things, life will be different. That realization hit me hard last week but both negatively and positively. I can’t even begin to come to terms with the circumstances, but on the flip side, I have come to terms with the fact that I simply cannot go back to doing as much as I used to. My days were flying by and I could hardly keep up. My priorities were out of order and I was in the thick of the rat race to do/have/accomplish/see more, more, more. This time at home with my family has been difficult (two working adults, one toddler used to school…) but it’s also been incredible. I have never appreciated more how much I love my family, how much we enjoy spending time together, and how at peace we feel about slowing down. It’s a two-sided coin that comes with a lot of guilt as we navigate how fortunate we are to have these things, along with our own stress about childcare, when/if C will go back to school at all this year, how we’ll manage that, etc., but overall we’re beyond blessed.
It’s also been a very positive experience working with my colleagues in a whole new way. We’ve all quickly pivoted to video meetings (and conferences) and to be honest, it’s been better than I expected. Everyone has maintained a great attitude and our company has leaned in to this new way of working and the flexibility that is required for it to be sustainable more than I could have ever expected. Whenever things do reopen, I plan to continue prioritizing a more balanced approach to how we work. We’ve all seen the environmental benefits even during this relatively short time and long term I think we’d all see a reduction in stress and increase in productivity if we didn’t prioritize being physically in the office the majority of our work week. I think it’d be good for everyone to embrace a new way of working long term.
It’s been interesting working from home full time vs. part time - I’ve worked from home on Fridays since I went back to work (Nell still goes to school but it allows me to skip my 1.5 hr round-trip commute and pick her up extra early) but it’s SO different. I would “save” certain kinds of work for my work from home days (1:1 calls with partners, HR paperwork, things that never get done when I’m running from meeting to meeting each day) so my Friday always had a certain cadence to it. It’s a totally different mindset to sit down and meet via live video for 8-10+ hours per day! Now that I’m over a month in I thought I’d share a few things that are really helping me find my groove.
Get dressed. I’ve caught my fair share of (friendly :) heat for the fact that I (+ my entire family) get fully dressed every day but it makes such a difference! If you don’t believe me, hang out with my toddler for a day in her pajama’s - it’s like she has no idea what time it is, doesn’t listen to schedules, asks for lunch at 10 am… and I can relate! Getting dressed each morning is how my brain mentally transitions from “home” to “purpose.” It may sound crazy to some but I swear the clothes I wear are just as comfortable as jammies but help me feel polished and ready for a day of calls and meetings. My staples:
Comfy dresses! One-piece wonders are my favorite! This dress is lightweight, wrinkle resistance, and as comfortable as a nightgown but lets me feel pulled together. I’m wearing it in a “washed black” here but I love the four-season potential of this dark khaki version as well. I’m debating this yellow and white striped shorter version as well but need to be sure it adds something to my capsule wardrobe before I purchase.
These Sarah Flint slides (c/o). Again it may sound silly but I just don’t feel “dressed” wearing slippers during my work day! These are versatile, easy slides that will get just as much wear when I return to the office as they do while I’m at home. I love them with dresses, ripped jeans and a button down, or with high-waisted pants and a crisp cotton tee. Sarah Flint shoes are the best quality, most comfortable shoe I’ve found in the luxury category for the price. Before COVID I tested wearing their heels for a full 10-hour work day (after not wearing heels for 10+ years ;) and emerged with happy, pain-free feet. I couldn’t believe it. Sarah Flint is generously offering $50 off any full-priced pair with code SF-MEG. They are also having their first-ever online sample starting today, through Monday 4/20, with 50-65% off and free shipping on all orders. I just ordered the Perfect Sneaker in white but also LOVE the grey! These leather espadrille slides are $100 and so chic for spring and summer.
“Fancy” sweatshirts and tees with my favorite jeans (currently an extra 40% off!). These jeans basically feel like leggings but dress up a good sweatshirt or tee, paired with my slides. I ordered this and LOVED it but it was too short for me (I have a long torso). I love this one and this one by the same brand. This one is lightweight and I love that the ruffled shoulders are sewn down (i.e. no epic wrinkling when you wash it). What I like most about all of these is that they will work for me when I return to the office, too. I think we’re all a bit lost at what the future holds for our work styles, so pieces that are 100% versatile are all that I’m considering right now. Although to be fair, this has been my go-to sweatshirt and it is a bit more casual. It’s almost sold out but I can’t recommend it enough (wash on cold and air dry FYI)!
Make your bed! It’s a habit drilled into me growing up in a military household but it officially “starts” my morning.
Create a routine. Last week we ran out of steam and got loose with our schedule (PJ’s til noon, four snack times a day…) and we felt the pain. Nell’s sleep was a mess (messier than usual at least ;) and I really struggled to maintain focus on my work. My schedule varies of course pending what calls I have, etc. but we make a point to eat lunch and dinner together every day. That lunch hour really helps keep me focused and also puts time in my calendar to allow for fresh air or a quick walk. Someone messaged me that another blogger suggested lighting a candle at 5 pm to signal the end of the work day and I thought that was a great idea. Currently I pour a glass of wine at 5 pm, but basically the same thing right?! If it helps, my current schedule:
7 am: wake, shower, makeup + get dressed (unless I have global calls, then these typically happen between 7-9 am based on time differences)
8 am: coffee, check emails but from the living room while Nell plays
9 am: typically my first call of the day, I head into the office. C takes Nell upstairs to get dressed (half to distract her from me leaving, not always successful).
10/10:30 am: Snack for Nell, C typically takes her for a walk
12 pm: I take break from work, we eat lunch as a family and then I hang out with Nell
1 pm: Nell goes down for a nap, I try to schedule/power through as many direct video meetings as possible during this time
3 pm: Nell wakes up, my day starts to get sticky as she’s over me being home but unavailable. Every few days we let her watch Sesame Street or a Disney movie for an hour or so.
4:30: I tend to wrap up calls for the day and focus on checking off critical emails/to-do’s
5/530: Wine time! If it’s nice we go outside as a family for a half hour, C and I have a cocktail before dinner
6 pm: Dinner
6:30: Nell tubby time - C and I rotate who cooks/cleans/does tubby
7 pm: Facetime with our families. Every day. Keeps us sane. We are really struggling with not seeing family
7:30 pm: Bedtime for Nell
8 pm: I check email again and take care of anything immediate/start building my to-do list for the next day
9 pm: in bed reading. I got really loose with bedtime for myself during the second, third, fourth weeks and I was EXHAUSTED and anxious. I’ve cut myself off from screen time + news before bed and dug out a few books from the office I’ve been meaning to read.
10 pm: lights out. You can probably tell here that there isn’t much time for blogging or social media right now (or ever? ha). It’s important for me to keep things going here but I’m definitely feeling the weight of needing to focus on my family + work.
Weekends are 100% unplugged. The first few weeks blended into one another as my laptop was always there and I was so overwhelmed it was just easier to keep up over the weekends. Then I crashed and now turn of my laptop as soon as I’m able on Fridays and do not reopen it until Monday morning (mayyybe a sneak peak on Sunday night ;). I urge our team to to the same and to log off a bit early if they can noting everyone is working well over 40+ hours right now while double timing family responsibilities.
Create something to look forward to each week. This has really helped keep our spirits up! Every Sunday we get take out from a local restaurant to show our support and give ourselves a break. We rotate who chooses the restaurant and look forward to it all week! We also make pizza every Friday night. These small rituals, that we definitely used to take for granted, have become special moments for our family to connect.
I know there are some WFH veterans around here - I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips on getting through this time. I’d also love to hear from all of you how you plan to carry forward any of the drastic changes we’ve all experienced during this pandemic long term.
