Category: Work

Unlike all the amazing women I follow on Instagram (because let’s face it, it’s mainly the women that us ladies like to check out), I have been over here 🙋🏻 failing miserably to get into that new year focus. Motivation – at an all time low ✔️, procrastination – at an all time high✔️, and a complete and utter lack of focus✔️, fully aware that I need to sort my shit out but just adding that to my never-ending list of ‘things to do tomorrow’. And not just on a work front, but where health and fitness is concerned, letting my health take a knock, my anxiety get a little out of control, and generally not committing to any of the good habits I’ve wanted to put into action this year.

So, after yet another weekend of being ill in bed I’ve decided That.Is.It. I’ve spent far too much time swooning over other people’s plans, admiring all they’re achieving in their business and finally, FINALLY some of it has magically filtered out of the wonderful world of Instagram and given me the kick up the butt I need.

I’m very lucky to have some truly wonderful mentors in my life, who are always at the end of the phone to advise me on what I could be doing next and to chat through all my business plans. When you work for yourself (and you spend a lot of time on your own) it’s so important to have people you can chat and share your ideas with (partly so you don’t end up going crazy from having no one to talk to). And they (along with my super supportive husband, who’s forever encouraging me to just ‘get on with it’) have taught me that putting your health first, doing more of what makes you happy, being honest to yourself about how you’re feeling, and prioritising all of the above ⬆️, is so important. Plagued with self-doubt and anxiety, one of my mentors (who owns an extremely successful coaching business) has told me today that the only cure is to take action!

So, it’s time to seize the moment (I know I’m usually chatting about savouring the moment but this laissez-faire attitude really is getting me nowhere fast ) and make 2017 a year that I’m can feel proud of. All that action starts today (well, this evening as I write this post) and no more putting off tomorrow what I really ~~could~~ should be doing today.

And, to ease into my weekly routine I’m going to start and end my day with my new Five-Minute Journal. I’m finding it’s a great way to focus on the areas you feel most grateful for, rather than the negatives, and stops you from grabbing your phone and reading your emails before you’ve even gotten out of bed *just one of the terrible habits I’m trying to break*.

I hope the first month of the year has gotten off to a good start for you? I’d love to hear what your plans are! And, if you’re anything like the above, just know you’re not alone in how you’re feeling.

22nd January 2017 by Ciara Sarkar | 4 Comments

Whether you only work from home a day or two a week, or like me, you’re here pretty much here 24/7, it’s so important to establish a routine. Just because you don’t have to rush out the door at 7.30am or require make-up to face the day, routine is still important. In fact, I’d say it’s even more important that you create a rigid routine when you don’t have a ‘boss’ to report to.

Same time every day

When you don’t have to have set working hours it can be easy to fall into bad habits. One of my biggest downfalls is being sat with my laptop long into the late hours. Set an alarm each day, get up and finish work at a respectable hour and do your best to switch off. I tend to leave the door to my home office closed until I start work and I shut the door when I finish, firmly leaving my work behind it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll often return if I need to (or have an urgent project on) but I do try to follow the same routine each day.

Dress for the occasion

I, personally, don’t believe that working from home should mean sitting in your pyjamas all day. Despite popular belief, many of us ‘work-from-home-ers’ do actually get up each morning, shower, get dressed for the day, and treat the day as if they were at work. It also works well when unsuspecting guests rock up for a cuppa cos, you know, you work from home!

Plan ahead

I plan my day the day before. And, I find that a weekly planner really helps me to see at a glance what I need to be doing and where I need to be (add to that list Google calendar and an old fashioned filofax). The last thing I do on a Friday afternoon before I ‘clock off’ is to write down my work schedule for the week ahead and my to-do list.

Head outdoors

If a client or colleague is local then I usually arrange to meet them face-to-face. Working from home can be pretty isolating if you don’t push yourself to leave the house, so it’s important you seize as many opportunities as you can. I tend to opt for independent coffee shops to conduct most of my meetings (unless I’m required to go and visit a client at their office). And, if I really need to get away and focus then I sometime pop to my local library or cafe to feel like I’m around people.

I try and take some time outdoors each day too. Many of my phone calls will be ‘taken outside’ so I can get my daily steps in and get some fresh air at the same time. I’m a walker and talker; not very good at sitting still.

Your space

You might not have an entire room that you can dedicate to your workspace but it is really important to carve out a little place in your home that is your very own personal place of work. I found that once I had an ‘office’ it made a huge difference to how I saw ‘working for myself’ and also it gave me a mental distinction between work me and home me. Sometimes the lines do get blurred but you’ve just got to be stricter.

Do you work from home? Do you have your own little routine? I’d love to know your tips for staying motivated!

24th October 2016 by Ciara Sarkar | 2 Comments

Archive of ‘Work’ category

Seizing the (Sunday) moment…

How to create a routine when you work from home