Tag Archives: Routine

Apr15

What does your self care routine look like?

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What does your self care routine look like?

If you’ve been following us on this blog, you know by now that the secret to being a productivity powerhouse is investing in self care. You can read about it here: What is the Secret to Becoming More Productive? It’s Not What You Think. In that article, I mention that self care is more than just going to the spa or doing a face mask. The reality is that, self care looks different for everybody. Your version of self care would definitely be a lot different from mine. Mine would involve a lot of food and pet kisses, but I digress…

I have a box in my closet that holds “self-care” things. I take it out whenever I need a breather or whenever I need to take my mind off things that worry most adults (bills, work, relationships, health, etc.) Inside this box is a collection of diverse miscellaneous knick knacks that help me decompress: a coloring book, some pens, a compass (for making mandalas), old CDs, copies of my favourite cartoons and comedy shows, a calligraphy set…you get the idea. I don’t take away items in that box, I only add. All of these items are things that help me nurture my personal well-being.

What items would help you celebrate ME time? Out of ideas? Here are a few to get you started.

Physical
A jar or tube of face scrub – buy one of those yummy smelling one. If you’re a dude, the ones with coffee are very popular, and gives you the added bonus of smelling nice. Exfoliation is one of the self care practices that gets forgotten if it isn’t automatically incorporated in your skin care routine.
Face masks – same thing for face masks. This practice only get remembered when you finally find the time to decompress or when you feel you need to relax. So might as well get those that have skin improving benefits.
A jump rope – if you’re into fitness, you might already have exercise equipment at home Having this in your self care box will remind you that exercise is also, if not, THE biggest self care ritual there is.

Mental
Drawing or coloring materials – doing something creative is one of the self care rituals that not only improves your mental clarity, but also improves your cognitive functions by exercising your mental muscles. And it isn’t even hard, back breaking work.
Puzzle books – These are probably one of the best ways to improve your cognitive skills over all. Puzzles help exercise your logical faculties, without you having to feel pressured, tired, or burned out (very unlike solving problems at work).

Emotional
Pet treats or toys – these are things that will remind you to play with your pets or just go out for a walk with them.
Books – keep hardcover copies of the ones that resonate most with you, all the rest you can keep as e-books (or not, but if you’re doing Marie Kondo…)

Spiritual
Candles – light a beautiful beeswax candle in a scent you like and send out light and healing to yourself or those who need it.
Crystals and shells – if you’re into that sort of thing.

So here’s a question, if you were to put together a self-care box, what would be inside? Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. The Help

Aug14

Stay Focused

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Stay Focused

Some employers have an open time policy. They set a window of log in hours, say from 7 am to 10 am and then it’s up to the employees to come as they please provided that they finish 8 working hours.

Having a flexible schedule is one benefit that most employees look for in a company. In fact, in order to attract top talent, schedule flexibility is one benefit that potential employees look for. A flexible schedule affords employees autonomy and ownership over their own time and schedule, offering the choice to avoid traffic and toxic commutes during peak hours. It also imparts a sense of trust and confidence from the employer to the employee that they value.

But having no defined work hours might prove to be more challenging than having a set work schedule for some. It forces daily adjustments. Sometimes, consistency is just what employees need in order to be more productive. Autonomy is a mixed blessing.

If you are struggling to stay focused on a flexible work schedule, here are a few tips to keep you productive and consistent at work.

Routine:
You may have a different start and stop time every day but keep your activities consistent. Start your day the same way no matter what time you start or come in for work. A good routine would be: some personal time as soon as you get up (meditating, reading, exercise, making and/or checking your to-do list etc.), shower and get dressed, breakfast, coffee, and then get to work. Having a routine makes sure you have enough time to get personal prep and essential work things done and be able to anticipate having to slot in unexpected or ad hoc errands and task into your day.

Hard stop:
Set a hard stop for yourself – a time when all things involving work must come to an end. Some people find this hard, especially those who take work home. They log out of their terminals from work but essentially continue on their laptops when they get home. If you do step one (have a routine and set a schedule), then you should be able to accomplish all the items on your task list by the end of the day. Unfinished tasks can wait till the next day. Freelancers and people who work from home should have an end-of-work-day routine. It is a signal that the workday is finished and personal time has begun. Office workers can just log off or clock out but at home, workers may miss this and continue working till the wee hours. So a good end-of-day routine is in order. Cleaning up your desk and powering down the PC is one way to signal the end of the workday.

Communication:
Keep your boss and co-workers updated. Starting work at different times for teams that are working on the same project could be hard to coordinate, so keep communication lines open. This would be helpful for answering team questions, showing results, emergency team meetings, etc. Also, let your teammates know when you’ll be going offline. You might have an important doctor’s appointment, bank errands, or somewhere you need to run off to. Let them know you’ll be out of office for a while and how long you’ll be gone so they know when they can expect an answer or a report from you. Keep your phone lines open while you’re out.

How do you stay focused on a flexible schedule? Let us know your tips in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

 

Written by Jaie O. The Help