Related to this: start at your designated start time. For me, starting is always the hardest part (“oh I can do it later…”), so even just opening a document and typing a few nonsense words, for example, helps get me in work mode.
Also, I would recommend finding some sort of white noise/background noise that’s your “work” noise. Sometimes I would use coffee shop noises, during winter I would use crackling fireplace noises (don’t laugh lol), whatever. Some sounds I came back to again and again, and I eventually identified them so strongly with work they helped me get into work mode seamlessly.
I have a Plantronics one that I’m looking to re-home now that I’m no longer working! The mic part came loose and was hanging by the wires, but I have it strapped in place with a hairband and it works great. Let me know if you’d like me to send it to you!
The crackling fireplace noise sounds great! I use a rain noise to help me sleep, so I can’t use any water noises to work—my brain thinks it’s bedtime.
I’ve tried some other nature videos on YouTube before too and found that ones with bird noises bother me. I love listening to birds irl but I find it distracting as white noise. I’ve also been trying out music for studying type videos, and those also seem to be good for me.
I’m dressed and got right online at my usual start time and sent out some emails so it looked like I was working (thanks @PDM!).
Husband is home from work today and it is SO distracting. He’s cleaning house so I get vacuum noises and putting away the dishwasher noises and laundry machine noise. I can’t shut the door because then Luigi the dog sits outside and whines. Going to have to grab some headphones.
I did my OMD stuff this morning, but now I have to close a bunch of tickets and get focused on my (already remote friendly) job but my brain is in hamster on a wheel mode. “HEY LET’S GO LOOK AT MORE CORONA NEWS”
I am 4 hours into my first morning working from home. I really miss my coworkers at the office! I really thought I would enjoy working from home because I am generally pretty quiet and like to focus on work. But I miss the chit chat for a few minutes here and there, and saying good morning to people over coffee in the break room.
I am grateful I was able to make a pretty good standing desk set up in my room. It is so awkward to me to be working from my room…it’s like work is invading my personal space. But I really don’t have anywhere else to go in the house.
Oh, here’s a tip - check what’s behind you, if you’re on video conference calls.
My craft-hole, which I’m working on, has some of Boyfriend’s paintings hanging up. Boyfriend often paints nudes. I had a moment of panic on a call when I was like, shit, do I have any nudes in view? But no, everyone was clothed.
Then my boss was like “yeah, so… you might want to take down some of that art.” And I was like, “what? I checked, no one was naked.” But I guess one of them is super cleavagey? Even though there’s no nip? (It’s a painting of Dawn from Buffy looking kind of vampirish, with a plunging neckline.) Anyway, she herself wasn’t offended, she’s an artist too, but she’s like “yeah, if you’re on camera with the VP that needs to go.”
We both had a good laugh over this… but yeah, everyone, check behind you if you’re on camera!
But thank you.
That makes way more sense.
