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.
Simon Jarosz, Chief Creative Otter / Founding Partner, Otter:
I’m a morning person, always have been. Usually, I’m up before sunrise and with a mind full of thoughts, it’s my productive time. So, as I write this, it’s pitch-black outside, everyone else in the house including my dog, are fast asleep, and the clock says 4:30.
So that’s how my day begins. Pre WFH, I’d be in gym gear and punching bags at this time, followed by breakfast and the commute, with the other early birds to the office. For me though, this way of life ended and WFH began in September 2019. Nearly two years later, what does WFH look like and mean?
Interestingly, when you search ‘working from home’ now online, you’re served a page full of paid ads for software we now use every day, benefits we are entitled to, employers offering this as perks and articles around the positive and negative effects. Does this mean this is the new normal?
I was plunged into this new normal for health reasons, after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer back in 2019. After chemo and surgery, I crawled back towards living a normal life just as we all did lockdown 1.0 in March last year.
“What the Hell!?”
As my health returned, during lockdown, I needed something to get my grey matter working again. It’s interesting when I think back, we all faced an uncertain future and yet I saw more people taking control of their lives than I’d ever seen before. Maybe this was inspiration for me because I chose to start my own agency. And so, with friend and now business partner, Otter was born.
Anyone reading this, who started either a new role or new thing during covid understands the strange predicament you find yourself in. Meeting people and building relationships via video chats isn’t ideal, pitching for new business or interviewing isn’t comfortable, you’ve lost the ability to read a room and the people in it. But this is where we are, and it looks like most are doing OK.
Fast forward to today and I’m still the early bird. Pre-sunrise, I like to get my day planned out as best I can, respond to messages from back home and spend some time thinking beyond this week. I avoid food to early, losing my stomach and vega nerve to surgery means my digestive system takes longer to wake up, so instead a cup of tea and then a walk with the dog (Neo, the all-black Kelpie, Staffy cross) is my pre-work preparation time now. I’ve always been a dress-to-impress kinda guy and that will never change, so the gym gear/active wear/lounge tux is ditched before my first meeting.
Living on the coast in Sydney is a blessing, there’s stunning parks and walks within minutes of home, so at least once a day I’ll get out for a wander and take in some epic scenery. Usually accompanied by either my daughter, partner, or the dog. Having this extra time with family is something I’ll be forever grateful for.
The day usually flows quickly, a cocktail of planned itinerary, networking, conversations, spontaneous opportunities and checking in with friends and colleagues. There’s seven Otters now, scattered across Sydney from the Central Coast down to the Shire, so group and individual check-ins are essential just for social interaction, sometimes meaningless gossip, but it helps us all feel connected. Before I know it, I’ve dog at my feet wanting another walk, the lights in the home-office are coming on, and the day is becoming evening.
I’m the self-appointed, family chef and I do take both diet and family time very importantly. So I’ll down work tools and take up the spatula and saucepan. I’m happy to jump back into work after dinner but try not to make a habit of it. Thankfully, the days of staying late in the office in an attempt to impress the CEO, or because of agency expectation, are long behind me.
I’ll leave you with some tips from a WFH veteran:
I’m a two screens guy, and NEVER have emails, Slack or Teams running on my main screen. To much uncontrolled activity popping up in front of you is a terrible distraction.
Music: I have playlists for different occasions, slow ‘Sunday afternoon’ music, motivating tracks, or instrumentals to get lost in. Being from England, it won’t come as a surprise that my staples are Floyd, The Roses, Massive Attack, and early hip hop to mix it up.
Sustenance, lots of snacks, fruit, cups of tea and then a hearty lunch are good ways to keep you moving and the brain spinning.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
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