AdNews last year launched the WFH Diaries during the depths of the fallout from the pandemic, a way of sharing how people managed their days.
This time, with lockdown running again, we're asking for a run down on how everyone likes to start their day working from home. Some dress to impress, others slip on the t-shirt. And everyone has their own way to carve the day into manageable chunks.
Kim Portrate, CEO, ThinkTV:
We all started lockdown with the best of intentions. Drink less alcohol and more water, exercise (or at least walk) more and finally learn Italian, right? But as the days have become weeks and the weeks look like turning into months, there’s two versions of our WFH diaries. There’s the start to the day we would like to be having then there’s the warts and all truth.
So, in this spirit, here’s my WFH diary.
How do you start your day?
As the sunrise illuminates the east wing of my palatial mountain top abode, I awake, the smell of a piping hot long black and freshly made pastries wafting into my room. I rise (gracefully) and start the day contemplating the many reasons to be grateful #blessed.
In actuality, my two dogs jump up on the bed, stand on me and swat me in the face with their paws – they're hungry and want to go for a walk. If I don’t get up, they yowl so I do as they ask and lumber out of bed.
How do you dress for your WFH workday?
Blow-dry, makeup and business attire (top to bottom with color of outfit matched to spectacles) with a manicure thrown in every second day before I am at my desk at 7.00am and ready to get stuck in #gettingshitdone.
Truth be told, it’s more a case of activewear and a headband. I’ve adopted a practical no-nonsense approach to WFH dressing given it is quality of the work rather than a beauty pageant via video conference that is important and valued by my team, shareholders and colleagues.
Tips for getting through the day?
Hot water and lemon to start the morning, 20 minutes of yoga at lunch and a fridge full of healthy, organic snacks keeps me going #healthyliving.
Pish posh. I love Vegemite toast and if there was an Olympic event for eating it, I would be on the podium – no question. The downside is that I also might medal in the ronagram gain event. But that’s a problem for another day. At the moment, I am content to enjoy the toast.
Ultimately, though, the only way to get through the day for me is to make a list of what needs to be done and then add two or three additional tasks. I do this every day, no matter what. It’s an anchor to my work, team and colleagues in this topsy turvy world.
When the list is done, I stop. The stopping bit is more important than starting – it helps protect from burnout, neglecting family, friends and, in my case, pets. Plus, it means you can leave the workday behind with a sense of accomplishment and the feeling you do in fact exert some control over a tiny part of the universe.
Upside, downside of WFH?
For this one, I’m going all serious on you.
Upside: Truly appreciating my team have it harder than me. Despite having to homeschool, share the kitchen table to get the job done in a shared house or maybe even more challenging, living alone through lockdown. I am learning to be a lot more compassionate about when, where and how people get their jobs done. What’s amazing to me is that despite the difficulties, the magnificent ThinkTV team turn up, every day, and deliver – above and beyond what is expected.
Downside: Is this a serious question?
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