Time In Or How To Work From Home (Together) Without Burning Down The House

Best paired with Burning down the House by Talking Heads

He gave me the biggest grin. Our kitchen table was covered in a mound of books, chargers and chocolate wrappers. My orderly husband, still in his weekend sweats, had turned our kitchen table into his new office. I stood in disbelief. I work from home and typically curate my work experience with specific books and gadgets on that very table. I was left staring at the spot he’d left for me, which at best, could accommodate my air-pods.

As a work from home newbie, he clearly didn’t operate with the same office etiquette and that’s when I realized there was no way we were both going to work from home without burning down the house. I decided to activate the “Time In” Tool Kit in an attempt to bring a harmonious touch to our new co-working space;

Get dressed
even if you’re not going to the office. Your weekend favourites are meant for the …weekend…Not only will dressing for work help put you in an “office” mindset, your weekend favourite may not always be appropriate for those video calls you’ll likely have for the foreseeable future.

Express Yourself.
If you’re working from home in the company of others, ask for what you need, especially in small spaces. Is it a few minutes of silence, more coffee? Share what’s on your mind so that the day doesn’t become a torturous game of mind reading 101.

Prep your pomodoro.
It’s easy to get tangled in your keyboard for hours on end. If you were used to external cues to signal a break, try the pomodoro technique. Developed by Francisco Cirillo in the 1980’s, this time management method helps break down your tasks into intervals of 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break.  Check out pomodoro apps for options.

Pace Your Place
Even if you might not get to your daily 10,000 steps, include a few healthy stretches. You’ll be pleased you did once summer wardrobes return.

Calm Your Head.
A recent collaborative study by researchers from Belgium, France and the Seychelles found that a two minute breathing exercise can help make better decisions. The 5-2-7 breathing pattern was found to improve decision making and reduced stress. Here’s how:

Inhale and count to 5. Hold your breath for two counts. Exhale and count to 7. Repeat.

Flee Your Fridge.
I have found myself flinging the fridge door open and doing a peek and ponder whilst not even a little bit hungry. Don’t treat your fridge like a long-lost friend; exercise the arm’s length rule. Before opening that door, ask yourself, what am I doing here? Am I actually hungry?

Dust Off Your Pressure Cooker.
Allow yourself to let off steam. Physical distancing, an unclear reality combined with the stress of being confined, is uncharted territory. It’s OK to let the pressure cooker whistle from time to time.

Keep office hours. Keep them as real as when you were commuting, avoid having work hours bleed late into the evening. Know when to switch off.

Hygge It Out.
“Hygge” derives from a sixteenth-century Norwegian term, hugga, meaning “to comfort” or “to console”. It is a Danish and Norwegian word for coziness, wellness and is also associated with gratitude, relaxation and togetherness. Whilst physical distancing is in full effect, in the comfort of your home, assuming everyone has washed their hands, take time to revel in each other’s company and “hygge” it out.

Time In is temporary –soon, you’ll be enjoying Time Out(doors) perhaps with renewed appreciation.

PS Since sharing this article with my husband, I’ve graduated to air-pods and laptop space at the kitchen table!

Hugs and joy