If there was ever a time where we are able to observe our actions and ways of being the time is now! In full transparency, my work and daily routine hasn’t changed significantly. I’ve worked from home/remotely for almost 7 years now and I can’t explain how grateful I am to have created this scenario. It didn’t happen overnight and it has taken time, risk, heart, so many ups and down and also significant investment – and it still requires many of these items on the daily. I know what I signed up for (including all of the stuff I didn’t know I signed up for) and I’m grateful.
Despite my day to day norms being relatively unchanged compared to many people’s daily norms, the energy in the atmosphere is undeniably different and we are all impacted in different ways very directly as a result. I thought I would share a succinct what’s working and what’s not to support you should you be into receiving the guidance.
What’s Working (for me)
- Taking action. Not waiting for anything to be “over” to keep taking all the steps I’m able to keep actualizing my goals/desires. Don’t let your circumstances be bigger than your purpose/vision/wants. There’s always a way!
- Eating food that is alive. Listing to my body is always the way for me and allowing myself to enjoy. I have been conscious to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, aka food that is alive. When our energy is put to different use and we are more self-sustaining in that energy (vs receiving outside stimulation) the more energy IN that is alive, the better. This is a great read from when I had foot surgery (6-11 weeks homebound) and what I was eating in detail at the time to keep energy high and maintain my state.
- Conscious content consumption. I limit whose stories I watch, the posts on social media (mainly Instagram) I read and who I interact with in a day. There’s about 20-25 people I consistently check-in with on social and that’s it.
- Structure and organization in my work and for my daily routine. I use unroll.me for emails and utilize Google Cal time block and color code my agenda throughout the day (as I have for years). I time my tasks to completion meaning they have a start and end time in minutes so they don’t ravel on into the ether (and remain incomplete). Done is better than perfect and you can still achieve done in excellence without getting hung up on perfection.
- Hydration. I have my water bottle in hand and am conscious to drink two full bottles (which is easy), and one cup of hot water and lemon before bed. It does the trick. If I ever feel tired or my head hurts, I simple remind myself I’m dehydrated. Simple fix.
- Moving my body. Stretching, at minimum, is so key and it gets the oxygen moving and wakes your muscles up. Walks count too. I’ve been easing into working out (actual workouts) more, but have reminded myself that stretching and walking still count and if that’s all that happens I don’t beat myself up.
- Routine. Back to the calendar and writing things in the calendar so that they happen. I.e. my daily routine, a dinner date, a beach walk (when possible and not at high times), etc.
- Staying connected to my vision. Reminding myself why I started in the first place and why it’s important to me. This acts as a single, simple, and powerful motivator in the moments I get tired. Tired is a choice, also š .
- My own form of relaxation and therapy.Ā Whatever this is for you, do it. Writing, reading and creating calms me and centres me. For some this might be cooking, for other’s this might be painting, for others this might be running. Whatever it is, remember that the act of this grounds you and you get to include whatever this is for you, into your life.
- Consistency. Creating healthy patterns. Back to the topic of sticking to a schedule/routine. Keeping things in my schedule and routine ‘consistent’ keeps me sane and disallows hours to mindlessly blend together. You learn this early on as an entrepreneur working from home because you need to complete things and not let them run on or your existence professional seizes to exist.
- Getting ready in the morning. This is a critical piece to my routine and I love it. I always get up and get ready for the day meaning shower, make-up, real clothes. Yep, even if I’m not leaving the house. I love feeling good and although I do feel confident without makeup, in dirty hair and in workout clothes, it’s my preference to feel like I wish ~ and skin, makeup, hair and fashion as truly my personal catharsis. This is my time to think and mentally prep for the day. It sets the tone and is incredibly important. It’s my pregame.
- Bath in evening. This grounds me. Water and fire (a candle), epsom salts, my getting un-ready routine in skincare, reading and journal. This sets me up for the most calming, peaceful and invigorating sleep and lucid dream-state (which supports waking life in more ways than one).
- Completing tasks. Whatever it is – completing my work, reorganizing a closet, completing a workout. The act of completion is both satisfying and motivating. It’s something you can track and when you look back, feeling accomplished lends itself to feeling as though you’re in contribution which is aligned with value (for me, anyway). I appreciate myself more when I’m in contribution to others, myself, and my life – be the action large or small.
- Listening to my body – full stop. Resting when I need to and taking inspired action when it comes. I’ll break pattern for these things, all day long.
- Being present. This boils down to awareness and appreciation, and also detoxing that from my life which gets to be detoxed or weeded out. I value quality over quantity, and being present continue to lend itself well to deeper alignment of self and with others.
- Intermittent Fasting. I kind of do this without thinking but I do notice when I don’t do it. I eat whenever I want to but I don’t like to go to sleep with a full stomach ~ it makes me feel sluggish upon waking and when I wake up I want as much natural energy as possible. Jump here for my satiating pandemic breakfast rituals in breakdown if you’re curious. There’s a breakfast bowl recipe you’re going to want to check out.
What Wasn’t Working
- Supporting people I like but am not aligned with. Liking people’s posts, or their business’ posts, and watching and commenting on their stories to simply “support” them is something I was doing out of obligation. It’s a tough one when you want to support someone and genuinely want the best for them but you see the through some of what is being shared and aren’t aligned with it. It’s their truth not mine (their message) and it was grinding me. I know the message for me is to look within and understand what the situation was magnifying, and I have. The action for me was to not unfollow whomever, but to simply ‘mute’ them on IG so they didn’t appear in my feed and their stories became blacked out. Feels so much better!
- Check-in guilt. Feeling bad about not checking in with people more is something I was experiencing. I’m not someone who tends to feel apologetic about my actions unless I’ve hurt someone without the intention of doing so. I reach out and check in with people in my own way and my phone is always on. Just because there’s a pandemic doesn’t mean over-communicating is the solution. IMO create connection not co-dependency.
Take what you like and leave the rest! I hope of this has resonated with you and supports you on your journey wherever you are at.
x,
Sloan
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