We live in a crazy, always-changing world. And I am sure we have all forced into some change here lately. Like working from home. Goodbye office building, hello home office. You probably thought “This will be so much fun?! No more driving in traffic or getting up early. I barely have to get ready for the day!”, right? You probably also thought working from home might be like an extended staycation. And now, few weeks in, you are not so thrilled anymore. But that’s, okay. It can still be a staycation for you.

We, the Morrissey Travel Team, want to help you. Reinvigorate your daily routine. And encourage productivity no matter what your surroundings. Creating the ultimate staycation by working from home.

Set Your Alarm.

Yes, you heard me correct. Set. Your. Alarm. You might be thinking, why? You work from home now. This was supposed to be fun! Easy. Relaxing. I don’t need to be up early. You might not need to be up at 6 in the morning to leave by 7. But you can’t sleep the day away. When will the work get done, right? Wake up when you would be leaving. Kick the alarm back an hour and enjoy those extra z’s.

Maybe you have been wanting to work out in the morning before you go to work? But not everyone wants to be up at the crack of dawn to exercise. It’s not always fun. But you could get up like you used to. Instead of rushing out the door to work – use that hour to get a jump start on your day. Literally. Go for a run. Take a long walk with the dog. Or even watch the sunrise.

Or wake up. Sit back. Relax. And enjoy whatever drink makes you happy in the morning. Oh, the bliss!

Prepare for the Day.

Time to get ready? Start the day? Become a functioning human being?

Yes, we still should get ourselves prepared. Start with a shower or that bath you never get to take.

We are always rushing to get ready and out normally. But we work from home now. It’s staycation! So, spoil yourself. Pamper yourself. Indulge in self-care and love it! You do deserve it.

Just because you work from home, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have fun with how we dress. Remember, you are trying to make this the ultimate staycation. Dress the part. Dress like you are on vacation every day! You can wear the Hawaiian shirt in the back of your closet. Or maybe you just want to wear the comfy robe you love. The point is you should have fun with how you dress. Treat each day like you are on vacation.

No one is around to judge you. Not that you should care about that. But do what makes you happy. Be you and have fun!

Preparing for the day doesn’t have to stop there. Sit down and drink your favorite coffee. No one is around to rush you. You’re not stuck waiting in a line of morning zombies. And you’re (we hope!) not spilling the holy grail known as coffee. Your lifeline.

And if we may add, you can have breakfast for a change. We have all been there. Always skipping meals because “we don’t have time”. It’s okay. But now you can have breakfast. It can be light. It can be hardy. Whatever your heart desires. You can even make foods like you were on one of your favorite trips. Immerse yourself in this newfound way of living.

Have a Schedule.

The elusive schedule. We are creatures of habit. There’s no denying that. It might be why you feel lost and confused working from home. We are out of place. Out of habit. Out of our norm. But guess what? You can still have some of that same normal. Make a schedule for yourself. Make it like what you already know. What you are comfortable with.

And then when the timing is right, add some spice to your schedule and shake it up.

This new normal could leave you getting more done than ever before.

Prepare a Perfect Work Area.

Now that you are free of the prison cell-like cubicle at the office. Make your new “office” the way you like it.

Maybe you like looking out the window? Or maybe you have that one spot on the house that has perfect lighting? Or you know what is really fun? Working outside!

The point is, make your new “office”, this new workspace, something you love. Create an environment that can be fun and relaxing but also motivational for you. Something that makes you feel like every time you start your workday you are on vacation.

Organize your office equipment in a way that you like. It doesn’t have to be the same as when you were at the office building.

Use materials and equipment that gives you vacation like vibes. Use bright colored sticky notes and folders. Use those crazy pens that remind you of the beach or the amusement park. Materials and supplies that bring you joy. The same joy as when you are on vacation and give you that break from reality.

Set Boundaries.

We’re surrounded by temptation at home. We have all the fun things we enjoy. And then we have our workspace.

It can be hard to resist temptation. You probably think I can work and catch up on my shows. But we all know what that leads to. Binge-watching a new series on Netflix and 8 hours of the day mysteriously gone.

We need some boundaries. Some guidelines. This goes back to the schedule. But this also keeps us sane working within the comfort of our home and sweatpants.

Take a break when you need it. Stepping away and gathering yourself. Or having some lunch. Watch something fun on your computer. Do something that helps you take a mental break from working and helps you clear your mind. We’re not enjoying a day at the beach (unless you live on the beach) but who’s to say you can’t do things to bring the beach to you? Or bring the thrill of an amusement park to your living room? The possibilities are endless.

You should also set up some boundaries for your “coworkers”. Tell them to respect you in your workplace. They can have their own staycation away from your workplace!

Colleagues and Peers.

We have all become socially distant people. Odds are, we aren’t conversing with others. Food for thought. These people are also going through the awkward changes like you. Take some time to talk to them. They are probably as stir crazy as you.

Talk about how you are adjusting. Talk about how you are making this working-from-home adventure the ultimate staycation. Find out how they are adjusting. How they are making this new lifestyle a fun one. Sharing is caring. And sharing how you guys are getting by can be comforting. Almost as comforting as gallivanting through a tropical paradise.

Same for your peers. Your friends. They don’t have to be in the same career field as you. See how they are doing. Ask what they are doing to make these changes work for them. Tell them what is working for you.

We can all benefit from each other. Even though we don’t have the same physical contact and connection as before.

Breathe.

It sounds easy, right? Not always. Change is stressful. Change can be overwhelming. You are probably feeling overly emotional. Or mentally drained.

You might be wishing you were mentally checked out right now. In a mountain cabin instead of stressing over the growing pile of work in front of you.

It goes back to us being creatures of habit. We are out of our comfort zone and have lost all sense of normalcy.

Step back for a moment. Catch your breath. Try to do some breathing exercises. You’d be amazed at what breathing can do for you. How much it can calm you to take some deep breaths.

Or you might want some background noise. Something soothing and lacks distraction. You can make use of white noise. Any white noise- nature sounds, babbling brooks, ocean waves. Find a background noise that makes you feel like you aren’t working from home. But on an adventure of a lifetime. The staycation of a lifetime. You, your work, and your own whimsical escape.

Or how about essential oils? Lavender and chamomile are calming. You can make use of an oil diffuser. Or you can break out those candles that smell good. The candles that remind you of someplace you’ve visited before. Something that sparks happy memories for you from other vacations.

Whatever works for you.

There is no right or wrong in how you calm down and breathe. How you detach from reality to make your reality more enticing. More relaxing.

Take care of yourself. Your whole self. The mind, body, and soul.

You must take it one step at a time.

Perks of Being Home.

We are at home. We’re feeling trapped. It might even be a little unnerving?

Being home doesn’t have to be that way.

Our day used to consist of driving to work. The time that felt wasted because it took so long.

Now that we are at home, we can re-purpose the time we once lost and have found again!

Use your time at home like you are waking up on vacation every day.

You don’t have to go through a drive-through for your morning beverage. You can have it at home. You can make it at home. You can make it the way you like it. Drink it out of a glass you got on your last trip. Anything that sparks a sense of excitement and nostalgia for you.

You can have lunch! It can be a home-made meal or get it delivered. Having food that reminds you of someplace you went on a trip. Try a new cuisine. Create an immersive experience at home!

Your lunch doesn’t have to be silent or drowned out by the sound of the television. Use your lunch time to Facetime or Zoom and have a virtual lunch with family and friends. Make your calls themed. You can add fun backgrounds that look like you are in the rainforest or on a beach to your video calls. Whatever you decide, the choice is yours.

You can use some of this extra time to do things you have always wanted. You could learn a second language. You can take virtual art lessons. You can visit a virtual museum or amusement park or a national park.

Are you ready to work now?

The point is you have so much available to do from the comfort of being at home more. And odds are, you don’t have to spend a dime to do these things. Take that step into your new day. Make each day the ultimate staycation. You’ll surprise yourself with how much more enjoyable working from home can be for you.