I recently did a simple little Instagram post regarding working from home. The desk top inspirational, mindfulness & wellness tools I use to get me fired up for a day at the “home office” (pardon the pun) sparked a lot of interest and got a lot of you fired up as well. What followed that post was an unexpected barrage of PM asking me lots of questions – “How do you do it Linda, successfully work from home?” “How do you keep focused, stay inspired, actually do the work?” “How do you keep to a routine without getting side tracked with the home stuff?” Well, in all honesty, I have a head start on the working from home lark! I have been setting up home office spaces for over 20 years. As part of my job, I travel a lot and my office space can literally be anywhere. I create wellness spaces/spas globally that always feature key positive elements for wellbeing, mindfulness and inspiration. I prioritise and incorporate these key elements naturally when I create any kind of space for myself, or spa project, regardless of how big or small. My career/job involves a lot of travel, however when at LH-HQ, wherever that happens to be in the world, it’s about making a sacred, productive happy space. Sometimes my office can be a hotel room for a 6-week period. (A key thing for my productivity is to “nest” in the space that will become my work space, make it my own) Owing to the pandemic over the last 12 months, more people are now working from home and are having to carve out a work space to make their own. I thought about the questions asked since that post and felt it warranted a full explanation on my blog/news page to fully address, and hopefully inspire.
There are disadvantages & advantages to working from home. For some, the whole experience might feel lonely, isolating and stressful - they might thrive working in a busy environment. For them, the office work life is all about being social, they struggle working alone. For others it might be just what they have always wanted to do and they relish working alone. There are key factors that will help make working from home successful, not disastrous and you can turn the disadvantages into advantages.
A few things I will say from the get-go, it’s essential that you create your own structure, have a daily schedule and work with good time management. You need to put clear boundaries in place between professional and personal lives and send positive messages to your subconscious. These elements will ensure success. All sounds a bit like work doesn’t it? However, I want to make working from home fun and productive, not fearful and overwhelming. I am sure once you try out some of my tips for working from home successfully, you will incorporate them into your life as we move forward and come out from under the big grey cloud that is Covid!
Keeping motivated, focused and not distracted can be a constant challenge. So whether you’re working from your kitchen table, dressing table or coffee table, my aim is to give you some tools to help you create a space that optimises mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. Basically, “setting the creative working scene” by incorporating colour, lighting, accent pieces, visuals, daily scheduling (good time management) self-care rituals and some happy holistic tools in order to create an ambience that will make you feel happy throughout your working day and beyond! “Creativity flows when you’re feeling happy!” Its key for me to keep my working space as holistic, bright and lovely as it can be. (Believe me when I say I have worked in some harsh environments, as well as luxurious places. However, I still adopt the same strategy to make the best of the situation I am in) Your environment has a significant effect on productivity, moods and motivation. In a nut shell, and for starters, here are my top tips for creating a workspace that inspires your productivity and makes your heart sing. One key thing I want to stress, and it might sound a tad boring, but organisation is key! Think about it like this – whether you’re doing a speech, presentation or cooking a new dish, if you’re not prepared or haven’t planned ahead, it usually turns out to be a total disaster…
One other thing before we get started – Wearing your pyjamas to work? Would you? Then don’t! It sends a disastrous message to your subconscious! You “dress for work” and I would suggest doing the same when working from home. I am not suggesting you put on your uniform, one of the advantages of working from home is that you can adopt a more casual dress code, but adopting a dress code for your home work life is sending the right kind of message to your subconscious.“That you’re going to work” It’s tempting to stay in your pyjamas, however trust me, the message you’re sending to your subconscious is not a good one and it will limit your productivity and eventually make you feel totally out of balance. At the end of my working day I take off my comfortable working clothes and slip into my relaxing leisure clothes so there’s a distinctive mental and physical disconnect between work and play… It works trust me.
Ok, let’s get to it – my tips for creating a positive, passionate, inspirational home office space. I could have broken this post up into several blog posts, however I wanted to give you it all in one go so you have a complete detailed formula from which to pick and choose from.
Get yourself some desktop buddies – The beautiful inspirational desktop buddies I shared on that post (Buddha, Crystal Goddess statue, Crystal Tree of Life, Aromatherapy Diffuser, Inspirational Quotes , these are there to support me during the day) They work for me as part of my personal belief systems, they lift me up, help me focus and support the creativity of my working day. I also have a mini dream board on the wall at the side of my desk, however that’s just for me and wasn’t featured in the post. (I have covered dream boards in previous posts and will be doing a bigger blog post just before the Spring Equinox.) You will have your own delightful objects, the ones that just looking at make you smile, help you catch a five-minute meditation, regain focus and bring you inspiration and peace. In all I do, I aim to create a positive environment. I would advise you to do the same (there is enough fake news and fear inducing stuff out there, you have a choice not to buy into it) During times of stress, anxiety and uncertainty, having supportive positive tools to call on will get you through. Try to limit your use of social media, especially during your working day. If you do have to tap in, try following posts that have positive content. I follow some great accounts that feature inspirational quotes, poems and beautiful images, life affirming positive stuff. *For some, your working lives are social media, however we still have a choice around the content we support and follow.
Aromatherapy - As a clinical Aromatherapist and Natural Product Developer, I create aromatherapy lifestyle products for my own brand, personal prescriptions for private clients and I create brands for other companies. Essential oils have been part of my life for over 40 years, they are always present. In its simplest form, aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to promote and sustain the health and wellbeing of the Mind, Body and Spirit. They are highly concentrated aromatic plant essences, the hormonal life force part of the plant, ‘it’s essence’ if you will. I cannot imagine my life without essential oils as part of my wellness regimes. In the spas I am partner or consultant with, we start the day by setting the scene with our seasonal essential oils. The aromas waft from the spa, enticing guests to come and visit. Creating an aromatherapy “Pied Piper” effect, everywhere smells beautiful. Ravishing the senses is part of creating a successful environment, whether spa or office space. As soon as you inhale a pure essential oil, whether as a single note or synergistic blend, you automatically feel better. The reason for this is simply explained - they enter the blood through the capillary network and circulate throughout the body affecting the brain via a very clever membrane located at the top of the nose called the olfactory system. This consists of the olfactory bulb, sensory cells and supporting cells. The bulb detects the smell by means of the sensory cells and sends the smell sensations from the nose to the brain, therefore affecting a person’s emotions and thus their quality of life. As such, people gain tremendous benefits in terms of emotional wellbeing and stress relief from incorporating essential oils into their lifestyle program. More on the physical benefits in further blog posts. You can also purchase my three signature aromatherapy blends - Rapture, Restore and Release by visiting the online shop on this website.
Mother Nature - If possible I like to add flowers and plants to my home office space. Adding that touch of nature, bringing the outdoors in with plants and flowers is fundamental for me. Houseplants purify the air, remove toxins and provide that beautiful green energy, flowers are just pure inspiration at any time. Taking your eyes off your computer screen and gazing at mother nature’s bounty lifts your vibration and helps spark creativity. I often take photos to post and share of my flowers, plants, cooking success and anything I think will be good to share to pass on the positivity.
Mirrors - Depending on the size or your space, mirrors will open things up and create a feeling of the space being bigger, giving the illusion of having more space. This is even better if your mirrors reflect the outdoors. My current UK home office space is tiny, it’s a 3ft x 3ft corner of my living room. So, if yours is bigger than this you have no excuses in being able to add in more motivational stuff. However, if your space is small - the kitchen table, a table in the corner of the living room, the coffee table, you can still make it a really powerful space by adding touches that make you feel inspired, empowered and create the illusion of more space. (If its possible, change things up during your working day, making the space yours when you’re working in it)
Screening - If you can, its important to screen off your office space. I step out of my small office square and mentally think of it as leaving work. The screening separates this corner from the rest of the room. Look for light and easy screening. If your space is too small, don’t try and section it off by using harsh solid screen structures. I found some fantastic retro sliver hanging screens from The Range. They’re cheap, cheerful, light and totally functional. It was easy to fix these to the ceiling in 3 minutes and straight away you have your office space feeling private and office like! I used the screen as the picture for this blog post - what do you think?
Step away – At the end of the day when I switch off my lap top and office lamps, I step out and mentally focus on leaving work. The fact my space is tiny is irrelevant, it’s a screened off space and is not entered into again until I enter that work space the next day. Another tip, like making the beds before leaving for work, make sure your desk is clear and clutter free. Clutter can increase anxiety. Coming into work next day, (or be it coming into your designated office space at home) as with coming home to your bed all made up, dishes done and as in this case, your office space all clutter free and inspirational will mean you’re good to go. You get a sense of inner peace and contentment.
Routine and structure - These are important elements to success when working from home. You need to establish a routine and you know what I am going to say, “stick to it!” Remember a routine doesn’t have to be boring, the best rituals can be mini slots throughout the day to step away and mentally recharge, they are your gift to you and a way of nurturing yourself as a reward. I find it I don’t have structure and routine it limits my productivity and adds to my stress levels. When you actually go out to work you tend to be more organised because you have to be. Try to adopt a similar routine that will send the right messages to your subconscious. You might usually take a healthy packed lunch, bottled water, gym gear etc. You might prepare your evening meals so that they are ready for you when you get home, as already mentioned above, coming home to unmade beds and a sink full of dishes does not bode well. These things might go by the wayside when working from home, DON’T LET THEM… Having a work structure in place when working from home is vital. If you set things up ahead of time as you would if you were going out to work, there is less chance you will get distracted by doing other things and the work tasks go out the window and that leads to overwhelm. Prepare what you can. Having a small tray of healthy snacks, water and fruit near your desk and lunch prepared means you’re more likely to eat and drink healthy and not be tempted to go in and out of the kitchen where so many things will distract you. Now, with that said, my next tip may sound a little contradictory! Break up slots - At various intervals throughout the day.
Break up slots - My working from home daily routine/schedule adds in break up time slots or rituals that allow for exercise, wellness and mindfulness activities. This can be as simple as a little mini meditation or guided imagery visualization for 10/15 minutes, a walk or a bike ride to the local shop. EXERCISE (Zoom is the new norm) now that I have got used to doing classes in a limited space and don’t decapitate my Buddha or send ornaments flying across the room anymore. I am loving exercising from home now, especially during this long, long winter lockdown, when I would normally be defrosting the car before I even get to the class. The uplifting energy high I feel after a class in just incredible. Whether I am doing a Barre class with the amazing Tracy Whitehead, feeling like a happy five year old in a pink tutu, a hip shaking dance class getting my Shakira on, or a Seasonal Pilates class Guru of all things fitness Sandie Keane, the high is the same. I go back to my office and the creativity flows. I treat the exercise class like I would if I was working in an office and going out for lunch or a break to do a class - its factored into the day the same way. See links below to my favourite teachers (who just happen to be my dear super talented goddess friends!!) Also, for those missing the social interaction with others, these exercise classes are a great way to connect with people. All the trainers I know leave some time at the beginning and end of the class for everyone to have some “hello” time. Other wellness rituals/breaks include stretching every hour, a body scan; this is a powerful way to spend 5 minutes or longer just checking in mentally to whats happening in my body. There is a saying “Where the mind goes energy flows.” It might sound a bit naughty and decadent, but having a bathing ritual in my lunch break is defiantly one of the advantages. In the fast pace life we are all used to we feel we have to be busy all the time. If you’re not, you feel guilty! You can mix things up and still be productive! You can change the way you view breaks in your working day. For example, lunchtime might be the perfect time to get a few extra household chores done, therefore giving you more time in the evening? Learning something new as part of your break up time slots - I have just registered for a 12-month course with Babel, their lessons are just brilliant. A 15-minute lesson waking around either indoors or outdoors with the headphones on learning a new language is fantastic.
There are lots of perks working from home that allow for a balanced, productive, wellness working structure. If you put in the important planning to start with, then productivity will flow… You’re the producer of your own workday movie. Be prepared, get things ready the night before to set yourself up for success. This will allow you to take care of yourself so you feel nurtured, prepared and confident. As I said ealier, you can turn the disadvantages into advantages. You no longer have the daily commute, that morning time can be used for journaling, meditation, reading a couple of chapters of a positive book, exercise or a walk. Make the most of this gift of time that was once spent on your daily commute to work. With a structure in place, you can mindfully whip up a delicious carrot cake in your lunch break or put a wash on in between zoom meetings. Getting out on your bike is easier because you are at home and your bike is there also. Having a cheeky afternoon aromatherapy bath is “no problem” now you’re at home. Things that would usually have to be put off untll the end of your day can now be added into your working from home structure. Because you have planned for productivity, things will get done, which will allow you extra time to take advantage of the time you have at home.
I don’t have children; I know for many the new normal will involve working at home with your children and partner. However, I think lots of the tips above could be taught to children to help make their home schooling life more productive and less stressful. Introducing them to wellness and mindfulness activities as above could be life-changing for them. Just before Covid broke out I introduced my godson to the joys of crystals and essential oils and he took to it like a duck to water. He has told me since how much he loves his crystals and carries the quartz tumble stone I gave him around in his pocket, taking it out to look at when he feels anxious! He also told me enthusiastically how the “cool smells make him feel happy.” And that’s what it’s all about - finding things that make us feel less anxious and happy.
sandie@sandiekeane.com www.sandiekeane.com