10 THINGS I’M GRATEFUL FOR!

-We have never been as connected or as isolated as we are now!

Just a few weeks ago I was reading an article about the novel coronavirus, and there was a line that really struck me. It said, “It’s only a matter of time before you know someone who has it.” That scared me because I knew it was probably true. Since then, I have been stress-scrolling through social media, my eyes gobbling up every single corona-virus update possible. And then I caught myself: There are better ways to cope. So, I thought about writing a post on things that I am grateful for. I see the sad stories of the migrants and am feeling more and more grateful for what I have.

Family time – We as a family haven’t really been spending too much time together off late. All of us were busy in our own little worlds. This lock-down has given us time with each other. We are watching movies, playing games and eating together as family. Of course we still have our fighting matches and do drive each other crazy but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Sometimes I do feel like I’m going crazy, but having my family with me is something I’m incredibly grateful for.

Catch-up with the team – At office, we are all so busy and running around like headless chickens most of the time. During the lock-down, we have daily morning catch-ups that started to give us updates on what is happening but now has become a time for all of us to catch-up and have a laugh, share ideas on how to entertain kids, tips on which delivery app is delivering etc. I really cherish this time that we have together.

Reading – I love to read but with the new job I haven’t had much time and the books have been piling up. I have had time to catch up with my reading and now I’m running out of books!

Cooking – As I said in my previous post, I love to cook but don’t feel like cooking after I get back home. Now as I am home all the time, if I feel like eating something nice, I just go in the kitchen and whip it up. Thai Chicken, Chilli Beef, Mug brownie, Chicken salad have been my go to lately. So easy and quick to make.

Hair Care – I oil my hair about once a week but this is not enough as I have very dry hair. I don’t have the time or inclination to do this during the week so I’m using this time that I have to oil my hair at-least twice a week and I have seen the texture improve a lot. Trying out DIY hair masks with Methi seeds and that’s working too.

Skin Care – I read all these beauty blogs and have bought all these serums, creams, face masks, sheet masks but hardly use them as I’m either too busy or too lazy. During this lock-down have been making good use of those. Also trying out some DIY face masks. Hopefully, I’ll come out of it with better skin

Declutter – I have been slowly decluttering one drawer at a time. Giving away clothes and building a sustainable wardrobe has been great. Also, have been rearranging furniture, getting rid of unused stuff at home

Hanging out with my pet – I love my dog! I take her on walks, cuddle with her. Working with her sleeping near my feet has been great. I have to just look at her and feel my anxiety levels come down

Sleeping in – Not having to dress up and travel to work has given me time to sleep in. I am so grateful for the extra 1 hour that I get every morning

Blogging – My creative juices have been buzzing and I have already written 3 posts since I have been home

Exercise – I really wish I can add this to the list but sleeping in has been taking precedence, but I hope to change it

Working from Home

Currently working from home but dreaming about the days when I could go around without any worries. So uploading those pictures of happier times.

I didn’t realise how much of a social creature I was until I was forced to stay at home. I always thought that I’d be comfortable with it and love it. But, I actually miss going to work!! Who would have thought that working from home would be such a struggle?!! It makes me feel so isolated even though I live with my family. I get a stir crazy need to see other people. There’s absolutely no perfect balance when it comes to working from home but here are some things, I’ve learned that are working for me. Some of these may seem a bit obvious but they need to be said! There are some tips here that may seem contradictory, you can always pick what works the best for you and go from there.

Have a start and finishing time and stick to it – I feel starting early is better. I feel good when I end earlier and get a little me time

Know your most productive times – We all have our most productive times of the day, and often they aren’t 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. So, pay attention to the times when you’re really in the zone and then structure your day accordingly.Personally , sticking to a start and finish time works for me. But some people I have spoken to say this works for them so do what works for you.

Make a to do list – This always help me prioritise better and stress less. Putting those tick marks against completed tasks gives me a feeling of accomplishment.

Do the most painful tasks first – When you have done these, tackling the rest of the day will be so much easier.

Always get dressed, do some light makeup — Never work in your pajamas, this is a slippery slope to feeling terrible. You’ll feel so much better and in turn be more productive. Psychologically, what you see in the mirror matters – a well dressed self inspires productivity.This helps some people have a mindset shift too.

Create a designated work space – Carve out a space in your home that’s entirely dedicated to working. You need a place where you can work, take phone calls, and feel professional on a daily basis.

Switch up your work environment — Whenever you’re feeling like you’re suffering from lack of motivation, switch up your environment! Also, maybe it just means switching up your “home office view” from day to day (if you have the space). Moving from the desk to a table near a window etc. Not the bed!

Take breaks but keep them timed – Coffee breaks, lunch breaks can go on and on if you let it.

Notice your distraction and keep them at bay – If you’re tempted by WhatsApp, the continuous stream of forwards then, keep your phone away or on silent mode. Stay away from the bedroom or you might be tempted to take a nap.

Talk to people – If you feel like you need company, you can talk to a like minded colleague or friend for a bit.

Commit to shutting off at the end of the day – The one downside to working from home? It’s hard to know when to shut off, it becomes a blurry line of when to stop. Sometimes it’s necessary to shut down the computer and be present. The work will always be there tomorrow. Scratch down a few notes if you’re in the middle of an idea, take care of any pressing deadlines, and then close the laptop.

Lastly, Take advantage of being home – Yes, there are some perks. We save the commute time, spend more time with family, workout. I like to cook, but after coming home from a long day at work cooking is the last thing that I want to do. I take some time out to cook during the day or after I switch off in the evening and it feels so good.