Phil (Bill Murray): “What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?”
Ralph (Rick Overton): “That about sums it up for me.”
Sound familiar?
It is winter here in the US, and while the days are getting a bit longer, your morning alarm is likely going off while it is still dark out. If you are like me, the 5:30 a.m. wake up to make the 6:00 a.m. weekday spin or yoga class increasingly becomes 6 snoozes (9 minutes a clip) before I finally drag myself out bed. I love me some snooze as much as the next gal, but for me, this 9-minute treat turns into to a regulation binge. Like any binge, what starts off as so very delicious, ends in guilt and starts my day off on the wrong foot.
Having missed my morning workout and chewed up 10 more minutes lolling around in bed checking the Instagram stories and posts of my gal pals the Ladies of London, I begin to get that uneasy feeling that I am running late and I won’t make it to my desk on time. But I still need to feed and walk George, never mind getting the kids off to school. Oh, that’s right, I don’t have children, so my mornings are pretty easy in comparison to many of you – sorry!
After George is set, I put on the coffee and do a quick check of my inbox before showering. My next decision, whether to stay online and just jump into work or let it go for 10 minutes and take a shower, can make or break the rest of my day. If this were a game show, you would all be screaming about now, “Take the Shower!” Because you know, and I know, if I make the wrong choice at this point of the day, it is highly unlikely I will get it together (shower and a bit of makeup) during the work day. Opting for the inbox (unless there’s an urgent deliverable) is the wrong choice for me. Like it or not, once I am in full swing of the work day, it is hard to pull away from the laptop.
And so the cycle continues. The more days I snooze through my workout, check my Instagram, walk George, put on the coffee, and skip my morning shower, the more it begins to feel like Groundhog Day. And by perpetuating this habit, I am not taking advantage of the fantastic opportunity working from home is for me.
Whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow (and guess what, he did!) and we are in for 6 more weeks of winter weather, here are the things I will be doing to break the cycle.
No More Snooze: If I want to sleep later, I will plan to set my alarm for a later time. If I plan to wake up for spin or yoga, I will stick to the plan. I am learning that my snooze cycle is eroding my ability to keep personal commitments to myself in other aspects of my life.
Quality morning walks with George: George always gets a morning walk (okay, 360 out of 365), but in the mornings, it tends to be a bit rushed. At least once during the work week, I plan to take him somewhere different either a walk in Mystic or Stonington or off-leash in the woods. We can pick up a coffee on the way home or meet a friend. It will be good for both of us. Look for the weekly Instagram #morningswithgeorge.
Go Glam: Ok, maybe that is going a bit too far, so I will start with showering and blow-drying my hair BEFORE I start work for the day. Sitting at the desk with my hair in a towel does not count. Videoconferencing appears to be gaining some traction at my office, oh the horror if they could see me some mornings. Note to self must find a Jane Jetson Morning Mask.
Mix it up: Have laptop, can travel. Whether it is working remotely with one of my co-workers once a month or traveling to an exotic location (the dining room table), I will plan to move out of my sweet home office for a change of place.
Lastly, thinking about Groundhog Day, definitely going to give it a view over the weekend. This goofy film is chock full of Life Lessons and belly laughs (food for the soul).
Do yourself a favor, and think about how you can make your working from home experience a bit less like Groundhog Day. I would love to hear your plans!
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