This can wait

Work smarter from home, not longer

This might be an odd thing for a publisher of a Monday morning newsletter to say, but I hope you’re reading this on Tuesday.

Today is Monday, February 21. President’s Day. A national holiday in the U.S. Most companies give their people the day off. If you’re a home-based business, you should to.

I created My Home Office Hacks to make the work-from-home experience more productive and enjoyable. We can put out the greatest content imaginable. What truly makes the home office experience more rewarding and productive is not being there.

Really.

When you work from home, you are like any other worker. You need down time. Even if that time away features something exhausting—a DIY project, skiing, a bike ride, clothes shopping for your children. Away-ness from the workstation will make you more productive when you return.

And healthier.

From a Morning Brew article: A 2021 study from the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization found that people who work more than 55 hours a week have “higher risks of ischemic heart disease”—which is a narrowing of the heart arteries—“and stroke,” compared to those who work 35–40 hours a week or less. 

In terms of working anywhere—home or the office—less is more as it pertains to your health.

You’re probably saying, “Hey, I know this.” Yet knowing and actually implementing a work-life balance are two different things. And that’s much more difficult when you work from home.

Case in point, a 2020 survey of workers 20-64 who earned at least $20,000 in 2019. Of those 5,000, 35% of workers who saved extra time by not commuting to an office spent most of their excess time working at their primary job.

The cartoon below makes light of that.

It’s part of why many people feel more productive working at home than in an office. Many will put in a longer workday. That doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate other things into your workday—leaving time for a walk or workout; even a nap or meditation time.

Again, working better does not mean you don’t need time away. Vacations should still happen, at least a couple of times a year. Make a point to observe national holidays. If you choose to work on some of those days, save some of the more administrative tasks (e.g., organizing files, deleting e-mails, etc.). Or writing a newsletter about how you should not be working on a national holiday.

Work from Home Moment of the Week:

Once a month, yours truly meets with fellow creatives from a B2B networking group. One of those members called in from a work vacation in Fort Myers, Florida.

Now, we all have gone away and wanted people to know that we are in a nicer climate. It’s something New Englanders particularly enjoy. My colleague was no exception. Yet a change in an environment can bring the unexpected. In this case, an armadillo.

Yep, that’s right. An armadillo found its way under the outdoor table where my colleague sat, taking him much by surprise. His shock caught us off-guard.

So, while the Pandemic and video calls have brought all of us our share of surprises, an armadillo sighting remains a first.

Do you have a work-from-home moment you would like to share? Submit your comment below. On Tuesday when you are back to work.