Getting Dressed and Other Working From Home “Rules” I Opt Out Of
Six months. That’s how long I’ve spent working in a traditional office setting. Total. Ever. And, really once you take out Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mardi Gras, and spring break it was really more like four. What can I say? It wasn’t for me.
I’ve rocked the “wfh” lifestyle for the better part of a decade, so I’ll own it — I’m a bit of an expert in this space. I don’t usually say too much about it or weigh in on debates about how to be the “best” at working from home because, well, I’ve been doing it for so long that I don’t really think about it as a special skill.
However, in this strange and harrowing time, a great many people are both voluntarily and involuntarily joining me in this space. I’m getting hit with rules, guidelines, and best practices for working from home on all social media platforms. It’s a lot — and, I say that as someone who is not in the middle of having to adapt to working from home. As such, I feel that I have a social obligation to weigh in with my more laidback perspective. Because there must be other recovering perfectionists out there like me, struggling to follow rules that feel restrictive or don’t quite work for them, and I imagine that there are just as many people looking for permission to break the rules as those seeking guidelines to follow.
Here are 3 “rules” for working from home I opt-out of and what I do instead.
(TLDR: The biggest secret to working from home is feeling ready and able to focus on work. F the rules. Do whatever you need to get in that state of mind.)
Opt-out of “getting dressed.”
I’ll say it: I love sweats and t-shirts. I like feeling cozy and relaxed and COMFORTABLE while I work. Being comfy cozy is definitely one of the perks of working from home. C’ya later pantyhose, shoes that pinch my feet, and crisp button-downs.
Leggings, sweatpants, jean shorts, crop tops, tanks, t-shirts, sweatshirts, off-the-shoulder slouchy tops. These are all in my regular workwear rotation. Sometimes I even work in my pajamas. And, I’ll tell ya what — I am productive, and “on,” and a damn good consultant no matter what I’m wearing. Do I occasionally look in my little Zoom video and think: “hm maybe the hoodie was not the best choice?” Hell yes. Do I also reframe that as an important mission to redefine what it means to be “professional”? Hell yes.
Here’s the thing — do what works for you. Maybe you need to get whatever your version of dressed up is in order to get yourself in the work headspace. Amazing. Great. Again, do what works for you! DON’T think that because you want to be comfy, you’re doing a bad job or not an expert… because you are not defined by your outfit of the day.
What I do instead:
I WASH MY FACE (#SKIN CARE), AND THEN I PUT ON AN OUTFIT I FEEL SUPER CUTE IN. WHEN I’M FEELING FRESH, AND CLEAN, AND CUTE, I GET IN THE ZONE. NO FANCY ATTIRE REQUIRED.
Forget about a designated workspace.
In theory, this makes a lot of sense. In fact, I moved into a 2 bedroom apartment so I could have a real home office — you know, a designated workspace. But, here’s the thing. Sometimes I want to sit at my desk. Sometimes I want to sit on my couch. Sometimes I want to sit at the kitchen counter. Sometimes my patio. The living room floor. Hell, I’ve done conference calls from my closet! And, sometimes… if I’m tackling something really stressful I want to do it from the comfort of my *gasp* bed (so taboo, I know).
Here’s the thing… it doesn’t really matter WHERE you get work done, as long as you’re getting it done. Again, it’s about your state of mind. Tune into what type of space you need for the task at hand. Don’t chain yourself to a desk or a table and chair and suffer all day in the name of staying in your designated workspace! If a space isn’t working for you, change it up.
What I do instead:
GO WITH THE FLOW AND DON’T JUDGE MYSELF. I AM PRODUCTIVE WHERE THE VIBES AND SPACE FEEL GOOD TO ME. IN THE MORNING I LIKE TO WORK IN THE SUNNY SPOT IN MY LIVING ROOM. I LIKE TO TAKE CONFERENCE CALLS FROM MY HOME OFFICE, UNLESS CALIX IS BEING A PEST IN WHICH CASE I PACE AROUND MY HOUSE TO KEEP HIM ENTERTAINED. I MOVE AROUND TO BREAK UP TASKS. MY WORKSPACE COULD EASILY CHANGE 5+ TIMES DURING THE DAY. WHO CARES?
Don’t stress about “working hours.”
I was diagnosed with migraines during my senior year of college and since then I’ve had one guiding principle with work: I work when I feel good. It doesn’t matter what time. Sometimes I work well at 10 a.m., sometimes I’m really in my groove at midnight. It’s all the same to me. Whenever I can get in the flow and be productive.. well, that’s my working hours! Working from home can come with a lot of interruptions and unexpected things, and while I appreciate the value of having good boundaries and scheduling, if you have a choice, don’t hold yourself captive to the hours you think you “should” work during. Focus on getting your work done… it’ll be faster if you’re in the right headspace.
What I do instead:
I BUILD MY DAY AROUND THREE KEY THINGS: 1) MEETINGS, 2) PERSONAL OBLIGATIONS, AND 3) KEY PRIORITIES. THE MEETINGS AND PERSONAL OBLIGATIONS ARE TYPICALLY SCHEDULED AND INFLEXIBLE. THE REST OF MY DAY IS JUST BLOCKS OF TIME + SPACE. THE KEY PRIORITIES ARE THINGS I WANT TO WORK ON OR NEED TO HAVE COMPLETED BY THE NEXT DAY. THOSE CAN SLOT INTO ANY OF THESE BLOCKS. WORKING FROM HOME CAN BE SUPER UNPREDICTABLE SO FLEXIBILITY IS KEY.
It will take time to get into your work from home flow and the best advice I can offer you is to be kind to yourself about the transition. Pay attention to what feels good and what doesn’t. At the end of the day, do what works for you — no judgment! Keep track of when and where you feel productive (and what you’re wearing) and when you don’t. Go with the flow. There WILL be interruptions and chaos and what I’ve found is that the more grace I have with myself, the more often I’m able to get into the flow and be magically productive. You’d be amazed what you can accomplish in 15 minutes with a clear head :)
