Working Remotely on days when being at home isn’t easy

I have worked remotely for the last 20 months. When I searched for a new job, the ability to work remotely was 75% of the criteria in my application hunt.

As I walked to the car on my last day of Old Job 20 months ago, box of random desk nick-nacks in hand, I knew I wasn’t ever looking back.

As a very introverted person — remote work is my thing. But that is another story, for another day.

This story is about the days when working remotely — or more specifically — working from home — isn’t so easy, and how to deal with it.

I really love working from home. But I sometimes miss having an excuse to have to leave.

After a long conversation (about how not every day is easy) in the #vent room of the Support Driven group last week, I realized I have a lot of coping mechanisms for bad remote working days. These help me get back on track and be the most productive version of me.

Take a break and deal with what is going on

Last week my husband was having a bad day. His bad day quickly spilled in to things I needed to deal with. Which was taking me away from work.

Working remotely lends itself to a special ability to deal with bad days — but it also means that you can’t always escape them.

I am grateful to be able to take care of home-things immediately and with more visibility than before, but on days like this, I also miss having an excuse to have to leave the house. These days are perhaps the hardest for me to deal with while working.

Lately I have learned that the best thing to do is to be honest with my coworkers that it is a bad day. To ask for a short break (10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, whatever I need), and deal with whatever is happening.

As much as I kid myself that I can, our brains aren’t meant to deal with so many streams at once. I’m incredibly lucky to have amazing coworkers who give me that time.

Stop. Take care of your family. Come back when you’re okay.

Say no

I am not good at saying no. I am a people pleaser and would rather inconvenience myself than cause a conflict.

The problem with this is — as soon as someone realizes you work from home they don’t always seem to understand that you are literally working.

They want you to run errands for them: I won’t be able to get there before they close — but you can go, since you work from home, right? Meet maintenance workers: Can you meet the cable guy for me at my house across town? I know you’re home all day! Or just plain leave work in the middle of the day: Let’s hang out! I am sure “work” won’t miss you!

Obviously, some jobs are more flexible than others. I do take advantage of the remote ability to take care of things I need to do during the day. But that is on my terms.

After getting walked on a few times when I first made the transition to working from home — I started saying no.

You only have to put your foot down a few times before people realize you really are tied up during the day, just like them.

Make a list, and check a few things off

I manage my day through my Bullet Journal — so I am an enormous fan of to-do lists.

There are weeks, though, where the list is only grows as the week progresses, and nothing is getting done. Suddenly, looking at the normally inspirational to-do list is a huge source of anxiety.

This is when I know I need to take action, or my day will be derailed.

I first scan the list, and find 3 tasks that will only take a few minutes of my time, and get them done. Can’t find something easy? Add a task you already did today, and cross it off. This always makes me feel better.

Once you start knocking things off the list, you’ll be back in your groove.

Get inspiration elsewhere

Of course, this isn’t always an option — but I do sometimes have to remind myself that no one is keeping me at the house. I have free will, and the ability to pick up my laptop and go.

As mentioned above — there are days where staying at home is necessary to deal with The Stuff that is happening. But that isn’t always the case.

I am an introvert — so human interaction does not recharge me. That does not, however, mean that I don’t need any of it. (Yeah — I learned that one the hard way).

There are days where putting on shoes and going to sit in the corner of a cafe or coffee shop is just what I need to buzz through a long to-do list.

Change the scenery

On other days I just need to sit somewhere else.

I have a nice office setup in our spare bedroom where I do most of my work, but some days I need a change of scenery — and that can be as simple as moving to the couch with a blanket and a cup of tea, or to the back porch.

You don’t have to go far — but getting up out of your seat helps, a lot.