Taking Care of Your Mind-set

Our mind-set influences our thoughts, behaviours and decisions. It impacts on our day and overall experiences, so it’s worth taking a few moments to consider what mind-set you find yourself in while working from home.

Mind-Set While Working from Home

Each part of your day will impact on your mind-set. There’s your morning routine, dealing with the midday slump, and that all important transition from ‘work mode’ to ‘home mode’ at the end of the day.

Our mind-set influences our state, and our state is our way of being at any given moment. This will range from being lethargic and de-motivated, to being energised and motivated; from stressed and overwhelmed to calm and productive; from feeling isolated and lonely to feeling connected and well supported; from distracted to focussed. Well, you get the gist.

Part of the skills in managing your mind-set and managing your state is the art of being present. We are human beings, not human doings. But, so much of modern life is focussed on doing and getting more that we forget to check in with our own thought processes and body to concentrate on how we are truly thinking and feeling, which will actually impact on how we are doing.

So, managing your mind-set and becoming aware of and influencing your own state is your responsibility and takes a little bit of time and effort.

Put your day in the right order

Starting the day right by putting your best foot forward is the first place to start. Think about your morning routine. How much of your time is focussed on you and your mental, emotional and physical well-being? Have you established a positive and supporting morning routine that helps you start the day well? Are you eating healthy and nutritious foods that can support you to be focussed and productive? Have you taken the time to move your body so that it is feeling strong and healthy? Have you carved out time that lets you focus on yourself, your intentions, purpose and goals for the day?

The Midday slump

Furthermore, how do you manage that midday slump? Are you turning to sugary and salty snacks to boost your mood and numb your stress or boredom? Or are you re-fuelling yourself with healthy and nutritious options that will re-energise you and keep you focussed? Are there midday classes that you can take that will get your body moving?

Sitting at your dining room table for hours at a time is no good for a body that has been designed to move about! Instead of scrolling on social media or wasting even more time on your laptop, make sure you get up and get that body moving, this will help you to remain in a present and calm mind-set and remind you that you are more than just your job, you need to check in with yourself morning, noon and night to maintain a positive and proactive mind-set. Your waistline will thank you for moving your body, too!

Getting your Mind-Set into ‘Home-Mode’

Once your work day is over, how are you processing and leaving behind the business of the working day and transitioning back into home life? Remember when you would leave work and travel home you would have mental, emotional and physical space to unload the stresses, strains and mental pressures of the workday before you got home? Implement a routine that helps you to shift your mind-set from work mode to home mode. Everyone will benefit, especially you!

This will encourage you to be present. The art of being present is being anchored into the moment that you are living in, and if you leave the laptop open with the intention of popping back to finish things off then you’re never going to be present in your home life when the option and pressure to, and distraction of work is looming in the background.

Working from home is a skill, and managing your mind-set and state throughout your working day involves self-awareness and self-discipline, because if you don’t manage your mind-set yourself, there is no one else who is going to be there to help you along!