If you are noticing that your mindset, your mood, your productivity, are tapering off or taking a dive mid week.
Many of us have been working exclusively from home for almost a year now. I’m talking about an entire calendar year. Unbelievable!
We have forged our way through the chaos and uncertainty. We’ve managed to establish systems, routines and some semblance of normalcy and order for our individual lives. All the while, maintaining some sense of sanity.
Remind yourself of this when days are hard, friend, you should feel very proud of yourself!
You are still surviving. You being of sound mind and body is enough! Groceries, emails, zoom calls – everything else – is a bonus. So be easy on yourself, and remember to award yourself a point for every bonus activity you accomplish. Hang in there. You really are phenomenal.
Now, if we are going to bother to show up, then we must do so with intention and purpose.
With that being said…We need to talk.
I can see the smokey embers of burnout kindling. I feel your frustration mounting and the balancing act of expectation versus reality becoming all too heavy to juggle.
We need to talk about how relaxed we are getting- in our productivity, our communication and our presence.
Lean in, because I’m going to say a hard thing. It might be time to put on pants.
Have you ever heard anyone use the phrase, when you feel bad, look better? I lived by this as best a broke college student could during my undergraduate years. If there was a big exam or presentation or I literally felt a bit under the weather, I’d boost my mood and my odds of a more successful outcome by passing on the oversized sweatshirt and shorts for a dress, sweater or dressy jeans.
I’d sit more attentively in class. I likely took better notes and felt a little more studious. It could be because I thought I was cute on those days. But it could also have been an intentional shift in my mindset. A change in routine prepared my brain in advance that we were out to handle the business and tackle it head on.
There is something to dressing the part that can enhance our mood, our focus and even boost our productivity. Look, I get it. Home is home. And some days it can feel like the longest loop in time; and still no end in sight. You are still a professional, still a leader, and your next opportunity is still waiting for you. You are still responsible for showing up and bringing your best!
So I want you to ask yourself, is it time to put pants on? I mean really think about your energy, your posture, your approach to the work.
It’s not just you, I have been super guilty about sporting my business on top and sleep in Sunday on the bottom. But the truth is, I find that when I actually do my morning routine, choose clothes and get dressed before my coffee, I am more alert and ready to start my day than when I stay in pajamas and meander from one room to another. I get more done than when I fake it through the day. You know what I’m talkin about, throwing on a decently ironed shirt 10 minutes before a call.
And I wonder if the same could be true for you too.
Here’s what I’m going to do? I’m going to challenge you to choose just one day this week to get dressed. Nothing over the top, just a bump up from what you’ve been doing. Instead of yoga/exercise or sweatpants…remix your routine to break up the monotony of this week.
Reverse the concept of casual Fridays. We’ve been casual fridaying…any everydaying for about 52 weeks now. All I’m saying is try something like cardigan Tuesday.
I want to see if we can find a way to re-energize you and the work you do. Let’s try to counter these sluggish feelings with a little style.
Snap a pic. Tag me on social sharing, not only, how great you look but how your day goes. Do you notice that you feel more refreshed? Did you sit a little straighter during your Zoom? Did you find yourself more attentive and engaged? Maybe you answered more emails with focus and intention? Or did it just feel good to boost your mood? Totally counts!
This year is far from over and we’re just going to have to get creative in bringing our best selves to our digital spaces. Your next opportunity is still waiting for you, how you show up and deliver still matters. Try this small step to get you back in the groove.
And if you find yourself doing your best proofreading after you hit send – there’s a guide for that. Head over to the site to scoop your Email Etiquette Quick Guide and brush up on the 15 rules of email you should be respecting.