Managing the Buzzer
Sleep is an essential part of life. Sleep gets us going. Sleep gets us through the day. However, with the recent turn of events, sleep cycles and work are non-existent. Come at me sleep! Catch these hands! Show me what you got. Recently, I decided to wake up to a blazing alarm clock ( what was I thinking ) and gave myself a panic attack. You read right, I gave myself a panic attack.
Alarm clocks, are not conducive if your circadian rhythm is set. Don’t mess with it, it can ruin- no it will ruin your life. If you must use an alarm clock, pick a sound, that’s not intrusive, but calming to your ears and for that matter your soul. Honestly, who wants to be yelled at from a deep sleep to get up and face a computer screen.
Working from home on a computer screen presents a numerous set of challenges. But for the sake of all our attention spans, I’ll focus on two:
Staying focused
When to shutdown
Time management is crucial in remote work. Distractions are aplenty, from your favorite, Dunder Mifflin, to just hearing your neighbors drink their third margarita at 10:00. Queue, “ If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain…” There you see, they exist. I digress, this goes back to the opening statements of alarm clocks. Alarm clocks, may not be well for waking up, but they are good for setting reminders and markers throughout the day. Task oriented alarm clocks help you see what needs to be accomplished and what can be pushed off for another day.
Task oriented alarm clocks help you see what needs to be accomplished and what can be pushed off for another day.
Shutting down and creating personal space when working from home is a vital skill. Saying, no to your patron ( that’s not 1800 ), is a great way to keep a sane work-life balance. If your boss is unreasonable, then maybe its not the job that needs to be reassessed. True, it is incredibly difficult to find work, but what’s also difficult is not living. See, here’s the thing, ( leans in ) work and time will always continue. We will always, have someone to do “the job,” its a fact, but do you get that time back? Invest in yourself.
Yes, alarm clocks are aggressive in the morning. Working from home can be daunting. However, you must take care of yourself. Self-care is paramount to any job. Always put in your calendar, quiet, meditate, what-have-you’s to stay, present, centered and calm. One day you’ll say: Self, when did the time fly by, and why am I dead?
Stay safe. Wash your hands. Take care of yourself.