Post pandemic I canât wait to waste time again commuting, waiting for class to start, and starving waiting on the Sweetgreen line in the cold to buy a compressed, dilapidated $22 salad. I never thought I would miss all of this until I became stuck at home all day every day coming up now on the 9th month on my couch. It sounds like Iâm documenting a hiking or pregnancy journey on my survival.
Of course, pre-pandemic, I only wanted more time and all of the luxuries that supposedly came with it until I realized that boredom fatigue is painful.
We always want something we donât have and regardless if everything seems to go smoothly and be the best financial decision, we are always indecisive and negative creatures.
For a long time before college, I thought that having every minute of the hour blocked on my schedule meant that I was diligent and the productive queen, until I realized that most of my friends who took their weekends seriously and had fun were better off.
99% of people donât wake up at 5 am and get 9 hours of sleep for my type of fun.
The Pareto Principle: 20% Work = 80% of Results
It is a bizarre dichotomy that we havenât dealt with before.
Home provides us the leisure, comfort, flexibility, accessibility, and efficiency to work from anywhere, anytime in our PJs or from our couch which seems to bring about more results. According to Wall Street, eliminating face-to-face client meetings is no challenge as a record number of deals, partnerships and as we all know, IPOS have come about this year.
But of course, home does provide distractions whether or not you have kids or animals, a spouse, or even stuck inside is bad for your mental, physical and emotional health. I used to get at least 2 hours of fresh air and bonus vitamin D and C from the sun, now no wonder Iâm having a harder time falling asleep, communicating, staying awake and being positive.
So once this pandemic is over which is projected to be next fall if all goes well and by that we mean herd immunity reaches at least 75% and everyone on Earth (stretching it) gets their 2 doses of vaccines, we will all be back to feeling better and working harder?
Google prounced a few months ago they arenât going back to the office until July 2021. There is no guarantee those Googlers who on average make over half a million per year at the largest monopoly in the world will still be doing the same work, but will it get worse?
There is no guarantee that home is better than the office and vice versa, besides having awkward overly long in-person meetings and lunch chats.
So what can we do in the meantime to stay productive and efficient whether or not you are cooked up in the bedroom, office, lounge, bathroom space or have transitioned into your lonely cubicle at work?
Empty Space
More clutter in your space = more distractions and annoyances in your mind. This is especially difficult for those with ADHD and can be an immediate fix for anyone dealing with claustrophobia or plain anxiety. Your workspace is more important than you think and plays a crucial role in how you think and interact. Itâs hard to get much work done in a cramped studio compared to an open lobby in your home but letâs be realistic, most of us donât have thousands of square feet in our homes unless you like in the middle of Colorado where space is taken for granted at $200 per foot.
Whether you are living in a studio with a partner or in an apartment building with 6 roommates or noisy family members, people are the number one distractions in life, besides our devices so designating a quiet space filled with simplicity in minimalistic design will be your best choice. This will free up your mind and allow you to think clearer, just like space has allowed.
No Force
It may be hard to believe but a majority of students are failing more than ever these days in their classes. Working on Zoom and no individualized, physical connection is tougher than we think. Personally, Iâm very fortunate to be able to just transition to remote learning but there have certainly been hiccups such as brain fog, dizziness, and fatigue that Iâm only expecting to get worse for the final semester online next year.
Fingers Crossed
If you are at the point where you donât feel you are contributing or doing poorly in whatever area or job it may be, understand that everyone is in your same boat. First off, we all donât know what we are doing in life. If we did, we wouldnât be reading this, going to therapy, taking anti-depressants, attending coaching seminars, scrolling through the best photo in your camera roll to determine which one will get the most likes and watching âfinding your purposeâ videos on YouTube. Believe it or not, you are not the only one that is feeling the way you are in this world. Snap out of your egotistical bubble.
Whenever I donât do well on something, I have a hard time controlling myself. We are all our worst critics and put too much pressure on ourselves to get things done a certain way and compare ourselves for no reason. Doing that will only make it more difficult because setting high expectations will only make you miserable.
Treat yourself nicely, donât worry about everything, and take it easy because you have a long journey ahead and the way you are feeling now is only temporary.
Reduce Screen Time
Compared to the 15th century, we are consuming more media per day than those who did in a lifetime. Time is our biggest currency and most valuable asset but we choose to waste it on frivolous things ranging from searching for coupons to save $3 on a smoothie to find out you need to waist dozens of hours later getting out of that fishy scam to waiting your whole life to start planning for a trip or change the trajectory of your career.
Time is in your hands and that can seem intimidating but the best way to understand that the most time is usually wasted on things that arenât helping you grow is a sad fact. You are simply falling victim to the sneaky algorithms on social media and click-bait on TV. More eyeballs = more revenue in their pockets and less brain capacity for you.
Your choice.
Look Forward to 1 Thing Each Day
As with work, if you set high expectations, expect to be disappointed. Most people underestimate what they can do in 10 years and overestimate what they can do in a year. Donât assume you will be able to achieve x amount of money not doing something different than everyone else. If you are clueless, your results will be as well.
Take things slow at first and you must have fun. The process is usually more fun than the destination and if it isnât change that because you shouldnât expect results fast. If you did, that either means you got really, really lucky or you will fail soon due to a trap you set up for yourself.
Count the small moments because they define who we are, not the ultra-impressive once a year vacations or adventures we take on. My daily exercise routine has shaped me into a more confident, energetic, mindful person that my trip to Paris once a year doesnât provide me.
Spend Time With Others Not Yourself
Want to know a quick way to make money and make it last forever?
Be relatable and work well with people instead of on a job that will make you poor through taxes. Even better if you help others make money, before paying yourself, you will make more at the end.
Now this is a classic piece of advice that people donât like because it is very general but in fact the ones that work are like that. If I tell you one by one the steps how to dropship counterfeited items from China or start a blog, it wonât work out as well as general advice that youâve tailored to yourself.
Stop being so egocentric and start living, thriving, and working with connections. That will make you feel better, happier, and more successful in the long haul.
Living a mediocre life is beautiful and no one should tell you otherwise.
After an average salary of $70k per year, your emotional wellbeing will not improve. It will just ride for hedonic rollercoasters which is harmful for your health, future and id.
These times are unprecedented. Blah blah. Weâve heard that throughout this year but this year isnât unprecedented because of the virus, economy, and stock market. It is unprecedented due to the actions and adaption to change weâve all taken on as a community.
No one likes change, especially when itâs abrupt and not in our control.
I hope you can take away a few of these messages that will help you find more balance in your life now and post-pandemic because we still have a long, long way to go before we can see any improvement outside of ourselves.