Working On Self Might Be the Biggest Opportunity of Working From Home
Now that you are working from home, you’re probably trying to find a million ways to be productive while balancing everything else that is happening in your life. But maybe the key to being truly productive – not just busy – lies in taking some time to slow down and do things that deserve your attention, but often get neglected. And our forced work-from-home situation is a great opportunity.
Most people work from home and think ‘Great! I have an extra hour to get work done because I don’t have my morning commute!’ So they sit at their desk at their normal leaving time – say 7.30am – and get working, even though their normal ‘start work’ time is around 8.30am or so (when you factor in travel, getting up the lift, getting a coffee, chatting to colleagues, booting up the computer).
Think about this instead:
This newly free time that we might have could be spent dialling in a great morning routine. Most people’s mornings are so busy that chaos is the dominant paradigm until they get to work and find some solitude in their work routine – which usually involves answering email and ‘warming up’ into the day.
(see this post on how we say we’re most productive in the morning… but usually we’re not)
So what if you used this WFH time to tidy up that morning routine and take the opportunity to use as wisely as possible? What if you spent that reclaimed commuting hour doing the things that help you fulfil your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing and development? Would that be so bad?
Think about all the things that you’ve said you would like to do but rarely find time to actually do. Here are some great ways to spend that hour:
- Do some meditation or yoga
- Read something that will help your personal or professional development
- Strategic thinking or brainstorming
- Start Journalling
- Do an online course
(did you know we have an online journalling course?)
The bottom line is this: don’t just use the extra time you have to stay ‘busy’ – try to actually do things that matter long term.
** Tony Wilson is a Workplace Performance Expert focussed on helping leaders build the environment for high performance. His insights into performance science and it's application in the workplace will make you re-think the way that you approach leadership, culture change, high performance and productivity. Tony has an MBA and a BSc majoring in physiology and combines the two for a different perspective. He is also the author of Jack and the Team that Couldn't See and delivers workshops and keynote presentations around the globe.