Tips for Working from Home
What’s happening babes? I know a lot of you are new to working from home lately so I wanted to share my top, CAREFULLY honed tips for working from home over the past 3 years. It’s been a JOURNEY to say the least and I have learned a lot. Here goes!
DO: establish a routine… specific to working from home
This was absolutely VITAL to me being productive. Just like having a routine for LEAVING the house, you should also have a routine for staying there, but it WILL look different. For me, I don’t get dressed unless I have a reason to. I start with washing my face/brushing my teeth and applying tons SPF & skincare products so I feel like I have taken care of myself and my skin stays dewy throughout the day. Then I make COFFEE + breakfast around 6am while listening to my morning podcast (most times NPR, sometimes Gary Vee… When I’m down I will listen to music instead). Once coffee/breakfast are made, I move to the table to work while I eat. Once about 10am rolls around, I will go exercise for 30mins to an hour or so. When I get back, I will take a 5mins shower, make lunch, and settle back in at my desk or the table for the afternoon. Around 5pm I make dinner for Deven and myself (and usually welcome him home, these days he’s obviously already here!) and we kind of catch up. Then I work a little more with the TV going. That’s just my routine that works for me! You can CLICK HERE for a blog post on some amazing Amazon products that have helped me stay productive while working from home over the past 3 years!
DON’T: worry about your attire/appearance unless necessary
This is a rookie mistake, in my personal opinion! I tried for a few months to get up every morning and get ready. Once that felt excessive, I downshifted to just putting SOME effort into my appearance. But it STILL just felt like a waste – a waste of money (all the makeup you put on and then wash down the drain after no one sees it, it costs money), time (obviously), and effort (all the laundry you use, you have to wash it after or at least put it away). I realized, once I got into the flow of my workday, I forgot what I had on and just wanted to be comfy sitting at my desk all day. Also – makeup daily clogs your pores. This could be a great time to give your face/hair a break!
DO: Set the scene
My best work takes place when I take a minute to get my space ready. You’re probably already in the habit of this at work but you have to learn to do it at home too! Get the temp right, turn on a lamp so you have plenty of light, get your essential oils or a candle going, make a cup of tea, start some music (I have playlist recs below!), and cuddle up in a comfy (but not too comfy) chair with a blanket. Set your vibe, and you’re setting the tone for the day. Start doing this daily and it will signal to your brain that it’s time to work!
DO: take breaks but use a timer
Studies show that we are actually MORE productive with a 10min break every 2hrs. Definitely take breaks. BUT when you work at home, THE BED IS A TRAP! Also, for a lot of you snacking will become your new favorite procrastination technique. If you’re ACTUALLY HUNGRY, go get a snack and bring it back to your desk with you. Otherwise, DON’T GO INTO THE KITCHEN, don’t get into your bed. Set a timer for your breaks and let yourself truly be “off” for those 10 mins. – When the timer goes off, stop scrolling, turn off the TV. And get back to work.
HOT TIP: use other tasks like laundry, exercise, cooking, etc. as “breaks”
This is one of my fave tips… Don’t fall into doing this ALL day but I love to use other ways of being productive as “breaks.” Like I said when I explained my schedule, I workout kind of in the middle of my work day. Why? It breaks up the day & gets my blood flowing. Gives me a mental break! Ultimately, it helps me be productive. If I need to meal prep, schedule it in the middle of your day as a “break!” Go out and water your garden. Take a walk around the block. Using a different part of your brain for a sec can really help, for me at least!
HOT TIP: the LoFi Beats playlist on Spotify
None of this post is sponsored – I simply LOVE working with the LoFi Beats playlist on Spotify. I find myself taking DEEP breaths while listening to it. It’s so relaxing and basically has no lyrics so it’s easy to get work done while listening. HOWEVER, some days I prefer something more badass (just depends on mood) so I created a playlist of my top pump-up songs as well and that can help a ton as well!
BALANCE: Kicking your own ass with giving yourself grace.
In the very beginning of working from home every day, I tended to SLEEP IN. And then by the time I ran, got dressed, did makeup, made breakfast, etc. the whole day would be gone! I realized I would never be successful working this way. And I HAD to kick my OWN ass if I was going to get my blog off the ground. I started waking up earlier and earlier because I realized mornings were my most productive time (CLICK HERE for a post about becoming a morning person… It’s a process!) – before the rest of the world is awake. I’ve had to kick my own ass in that way, many a time. When I need a REAL ass kicking, I turn on Gary Vee’s podcast. He never fails to make me want to work my tail off.
That said, you must balance that with giving yourself grace. You’re not superhuman and pretending you ARE only leads to burnout. This can really happen anywhere but when you’re in charge of your own time and no one’s watching you, it’s easier (in my experience) to go overboard towards either being too easy on yourself or too hard. After my lazy phase, I chugged along for while pretty well. But I kept beating into myself that I was inherently lazy and needed to overcome it. And I went to the opposite extreme and never let myself have a minute off that I wasn’t feeling guilty about. That lead to pretty extreme burnout. Over that Christmas, I went into a pretty deep dark hole. And did not come out the same. I learned I HAD to prevent burnout as well as overcome the temptation to sleep half the day away. It’s tough but it truly is a balance. Hovering in between those two extremes is where I have seen the most success + happiness.
Those are my top tips for working at home! I hope they help you. If you don’t already, give me a follow on social below!!
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Our Rebrand Story
I filed my first trademark when I was 22. Back when I was a recent graduate living in New York City. I wanted to start a magazine because I didn’t see myself reflected on the newsstands. What I wanted was those juicy Hollywood gossip stories, health/fitness, beauty, and yes especially politics/ current global issues all in one publication. But I had to buy like five different magazines to make all that happen while I knew men had publications like Esquire & GQ that respected both their intellectual curiosity and want for entertainment.
I’ve always had this dream of helping to keep people accountable – our leaders, the press, etc. because I had a dad that made damn sure we were informed while I was growing up. Even today he fills our inboxes with important news, cooking ideas, and fashion tips alike. He’s always been cautious about reliability in his news. My mom and three loving aunts care deeply about being politically and socially active. I’ve had the greatest role models. And yet I wasn’t out in the world for very long before realizing that most women in the heartland aren’t afforded this type of exposure to politics/community activism. I found that many were looking for a reliable source of news that spoke their language and didn’t make them feel intimidated or like they needed to know everything about each issue to be involved.
I honestly believe that intimidation tactics are pervasive and socially engrained in men in this country (not all of them, but most) and that intimidation makes women feel like they can’t speak up for fear that they’ll be verbally put down and attacked. While I’ve had a male role model who encouraged me to always speak up, raise my hand, and be heard, many women have only experienced the opposite: ridicule and condescension. So I wanted to create a safe space for women to say, “I will never know EVERYTHING about this topic, but here’s my thought on the matter.” We don’t learn or grow when we’re not discussing, when we don’t speak our minds, when we hold back.
The name “Sugarfree” came to me when I was frustrated that women in the heartland so often feel they have to be “nice” and “sweet” in order to be heard/ accepted/ palatable. Without a big smile and passive wording, you’re a bitch or a chest beater. On the contrary, I have found that women here are INCREDIBLY strong and do not need to be handled with kid gloves or provided with a “sugarcoating” all over the serious news we see every day. So on this new platform, we are committing to give it to you straight up, no side of sugar.
The truth is, each and every one of us has a vote in this country. All our opinions are weighed equally at the ballot box whether you’re a seasoned politician or a housewife raising 4 kids. I wanted to see more women use that voice.
When registering voters, women in Oklahoma made it clear to me they didn’t plan to vote until they understood what they were voting on. God bless them, they deserve a medal, because I can assure you no man has ever said that to me. But where did I want to send them to get more info? I didn’t see something I admired so I decided to build it myself. And here we are. 6 years in the making and I’m still building my dream publication. My dad always said, “we make our own luck.” Don’t see what you want? Make it yourself. I’ve tried to live that out and in a few weeks, my personal blog will take a big step towards being an official publication. I hope you will come along for the ride and catch us over on www.sugarfreemedia.co from now on!
Onward & upward!
X, Antigone
10 Amazon Buys to Make you more Productive
*I might make a small commission from links in this post but as always, all opinions are my own!
- OIL DIFFUSER & OILS THAT UP YOUR FOCUS & ENERGY – any time I am having a tough day or a tough time concentrating, I grab my oil diffuser and a focus blend! I also love LEMON OIL or PEPPERMINT OIL to wake me up & energize me. They’ll add a pep to your step and help you stay productive through the usual afternoon slump!
- LAPTOP STAND – this laptop stand is my solution to “tech neck”… Basically where you crane your neck to look at your phone or computer and end up super sore with a tension headache? Not to mention getting wrinkles in your neck at the same time! Putting your laptop on this stand helps you stay productive because you won’t end up sore & achy come the last few hours of your work day!
- NOISE BLOCKING HEADPHONES – I LOVE these for deep concentration and travel. Sometimes I don’t even play music! I just use them to a) tune everything else out and b) send a message to those around me that I’m not interested in chatting! When coworkers are driving you nuts, throw these on and they’ll get the message… And you won’t even notice them! (Pro tip: try some of the “focus” playlists on Spotify for relaxation and concentration! When I listen to them, I always find myself taking big DEEP breaths… So calming!)
- PHONE STAND – I love this phone stand because it makes it easy to charge your phone AND check texts/ calls/ emails without even picking up your phone. You can glance and decide if its relevant. Also, if you have a bigger iPhone like me, this keeps you from having to hold it yourself all day 😉 You guys also know I’m a BIG fan of turning my phone on airplane or “sleep” mode so that I can check it when I am ready for a break rather than being interrupted by buzzes every few seconds!
- BLUE LIGHT BLOCKING GLASSES – getting tension headaches midday? Not surprised at all! Most of us experience them. Something that has helped mine a ton has been switching to blue light blocking glasses. My job is 100% tech focused. I am always behind a screen so blue light blockers are KEY in keeping my focus and therefore productivity high!
- BED DESK – wanna be productive after hours? Or while having a sick day? I LOVE grabbing my big pillow, flipping on a show in the background, and getting some of my more mindless tasks checked off, lounging in bed. Without those tasks to worry about the next day, I can focus on tackling bigger issues & get more done!
- 32 OZ. TUMBLERS – this one is pure math. If you want to drink your 64 oz., you’ll only have to get up from your desk TWICE to fill up your water bottle to hit that mark with this tumbler. Using a regular glass, you’d have to pop up from your desk 8 times to hit that same mark! I also really recommend getting one with a straw because when it’s easy to sip, you’ll do it more just mindlessly! Hydration is key to staying alert, headache free, & your most cognitive so it helps you there as well!
- GOAL NOTEBOOK – with goals mapped out, you’re WAY more likely to reach them. Actually writing goals down in and of itself can help but not nearly as much as building a plan. This notebook will help you do both. Once you have your plan, it’s so much easier to decide where to spend your time & how to be most productive with it.
- STRENGTH FINDER – this book is invaluable in learning how to best spend your time. The strength finder explains that spending your time building on your strengths will always produce more results than trying to build on your weaknesses. No matter HOW hard I try to be a biochemist… I may make SOME progress, but I’ll probably never BE GREAT at it. BUT, if I spent that same amount of time building on my natural strengths? FIRE! So it is important to get to know yourself. Get to know your REAL strengths and weaknesses (this is an important part of self discovery – spending time doing this is SO VITAL for both your personal & professional development). Strength Finder is a book that helps you better understand your own strengths and weaknesses and that of others. Get the book, take the test. They’ll give you your top 3 strengths for free and with another small payment, you can unlock all of the various strengths (there are 50) ranked in accordance to what you’re best at to what you’re worst at. Use those strengths as a guiding focus for you throughout your day and you will get much more done!
- POSTURE PILLOW – we all know feeling uncomfortable will keep you from working at your best pace. It’ll break your focus all day long! Having a posture pillow helps keep you comfortable, upright, and working at full speed!
How to Become a Morning Person
So a lot of you ask about my daily routine! I have written about it before but the truth is, most of it is a guideline EXCEPT my mornings. I love to start the day in a specific way and that is EARLY. I think the morning can really set the tone for how you approach the rest of your day (and therefore your LIFE) so I guard this time like a precious jewel – It’s so valuable to me!
If you’re not a morning person, and would like to make that transition, here are some guidelines that have really helped me!
Start slow
START SLOW and build up. You wouldn’t try to run a marathon when you’re only used to running a mile would you?! No way! Start waking up 30 minutes earlier a day for a week, then 30 minutes more the next week etc. until you reach your goal time. It also REALLY helps if you can get up at decent hour on the weekends too. If you’re trying to get up around 6AM daily, don’t sleep past 8AM on the weekends. It will throw everything off, trust me.
Motivate yourself
I LOVE COFFEE. Not caffeine, the actual taste of delicious coffee. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning! I can’t wait to go down and make myself a cup. Let’s face it, you need something to MOTIVATE you to get up. Now, if coffee isn’t YOUR THING, try using a breakfast you love or tuning into a podcast you like to motivate you to move your bod from the bed to your slippers! I always start the day slow, in my robe, with coffee, and a daily reading (outside on my deck, weather permitting!). It’s honestly very zen and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Don’t be stupid
You still need your sleep yo! If you want to be a morning person, it’s gonna require going to bed earlier too. Ever heard of “early to bed early to rise?” Well that’s your new mantra. Deven and I start “winding down” around 9pm (or 8:30pm if we’re really zonked) and lights out by 10pm at the latest. Honestly it will start to feel SO good once you’re waking up at the crack of dawn J
It’s not for everyone
The reason I get up psycho early is because I am most productive in the mornings. It’s when my brain is the most ON. But dude, you might not work that way and THAT’S OK! Don’t fight it cuz it won’t help you. Instead, you might try figuring out how to maximize your productivity in the night time hours! That’s basically what I did – I realized I was ON in the mornings so I tried to get up as early as was reasonable to maximize that time.
One last note:
Be intentional about how you spend this time. What are you lacking in your life? Time for YOU/ self-care? Time for reflection? Time with God? Time cooking? Time working out? Time working? USE YOUR MORNING FOR THAT! There’s no point in peeling yourself out of bed so you can just waste that time. Put those special hours into something IMPORTANT to you.
XX
Antigone
What It Takes to be an Entrepreneur
I’ve owned my own company for two years now. This is honestly something I never thought I would do. I have never taken a single business class. But it has worked. So I wanted to share with you the qualities I think all entrepreneurs need in order to be successful.
I get asked about this topic a lot so I have given it a lot of thought. Here goes:
- Ability to kick your own ass into gear.
You need to be able to get out of bed in the morning. Early. Responsibility for yourself is super key because no one is going to hold your hand or get you out of bed. No one will pull your weight for you. If you’re not an independent worker, entrepreneurship is essentially a non-starter. If you are proactive and able to hold YOURSELF accountable for projects rather than requiring a boss reminding you.
- Ability to pivot.
THIS IS MY NUMBER ONE skillset that I think is VITAL to any entrepreneur. I have discussed it at length with mentors, peers, and other entrepreneurs I’ve worked with. Your idea might be a little off… You need to figure that out quickly and shift your concept/service as needed. For example, when I started blogging, I thought 90% of my income would come from brands. Today, a lot of it does. But a MUCH bigger money maker is my consulting business. Local Oklahomans noticed that I have spent a lot of time learning about social media and put a lot of work into my own accounts. Before I knew it, other small businesses were calling me for guidance. I realized that was a big need here in the heartland where there aren’t a ton of creatives. So filling that role needed to become a big part of my focus. I pivoted! Does that mean I can’t still blog and work with brands and make money off ads? Of course not! My company/brand is whatever I want it to be. But it also needs to be what makes the most sense. So I have learned to pivot towards whatever that might be.
- Ability to always be a student.
When you’re starting out, every entrepreneur has to wear a TON of hats. Not all of them will be for things that come easily to you or that you have prior training in. For example, I had no graphic design or coding experience prior to starting my company. So guess what? I had to learn. You need to be someone who is always taking in new skills and is excited to learn more. Networking, resourcefulness, and adaptation are all big components of this too… But the biggest thing is you need to be brave enough to admit you don’t know everything and start at the beginning with a new skill. Frankly, the entire endeavor of starting a company (filing my trademark, taxes, LLC structure etc.) were ALL foreign concepts to me before I started SBA. I had to learn ALL of those things and I was able to because part of me will always love being a student.
- Humility to admit, reflect on, and learn from your mistakes. This is not always easy.
Humility is a key component to SUCCESS as an entrepreneur. People who lack humility will have no problem STARTING a company but they likely will not succeed. EVERYONE will make mistakes as they’re starting out with their company… And often, we are too close to it to see it ourselves. We need to be open to constructive criticism or feedback or guidance. Mine often comes from my father. My initial reaction is to dig my heels in, insist I am right, and stomp around my house listing to Deven ALL the reasons he’s wrong. But in the cold light of the morning, I can admit to myself if I have been amiss and make changes accordingly. Being open to this feedback is HARD because the thing is – its your BABY! It’s tough to be objective about something you’ve poured your heart and soul into. But in order for your baby to grow up into something bigger, you’ve gotta check your ego and be open to tough feedback.
- Ability to dust yourself off.
You’re going to mess up. And I am not talking about in a little way… In a big way. A devastating way. You’ll miss deadlines you set for yourself, delete your entire website, or no one will come to your event. One big one that sticks in my mind is the first giveaway I ever did, only ONE person entered… I legit cried to Deven that I was NEVER going to be a successful blogger if I couldn’t get TWO people to enter a giveaway out of over a thousand followers . I was SO devastated and thought it reflected on me as a person… But it really just reflected on a poorly planned project! I was TERRIFIED to do another one… But eventually, I teamed up with other, bigger name bloggers out there who helped me get HUNDREDS of entries and eventually THOUSANDS. But let me tell you, at the time, I felt I had already failed even thought I was just beginning. To be a success, you need to be able to bounce back from embarrassment, let downs, and failures. It’s really trying completely essential.
- The balls to dive in.
The thing that annoys me THE MOST when I coach people…. Is when they are hesitating for no reason or insisting on getting each detail perfect. Entrepreneurism is messy by nature. You’ll never be 100% ready for it. How could you be? You’ve probably never done this before! So it’s a matter of trusting in yourself and your idea enough to take the risk and “get naked” in front of your world! I think you really need big BOLD balls in order to be a successful entrepreneur. Because it’s not just a matter of telling your social media network you have a new business… You’re also going to need to pitch to investors, speak at events, network with strangers, etc! You can’t be timid in those situations, you need to own your brand and in order to represent it well.
SO those are my thoughts! I learn something new every day doing what I do… And you can bet I will share with you guys any major lessons I learn along the way.
X,
Antigone