WEBVTT - A New Corner Office: Get a life

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<v Speaker 1>Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office,

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<v Speaker 1>the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the

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<v Speaker 1>new world of work, where the location and ours are

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<v Speaker 1>more flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to

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<v Speaker 1>have a project outside of work, or, as the kids

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<v Speaker 1>like to tell us, to get a life. Work goes

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<v Speaker 1>better and it is less stressful when we do something

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<v Speaker 1>besides work for part of the day. For those who

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<v Speaker 1>are parents as well as professionals, and outlet beyond work

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<v Speaker 1>and family can make us feel like whole, happier people.

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<v Speaker 1>Hobbies and projects outside of work also keep us balanced

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<v Speaker 1>and interesting. This is especially true if you have the

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<v Speaker 1>sort of job that lacks a hard stop or start,

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<v Speaker 1>and where work can quickly bleed into all available hours.

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<v Speaker 1>I first discovered the wisdom of having projects outside of

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<v Speaker 1>work back when I was twenty three years old and

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<v Speaker 1>first started working from home full time. My roommate back

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<v Speaker 1>then disappeared for a month long work trip, and I

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<v Speaker 1>soon realized that there was nothing to keep the days

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<v Speaker 1>from blending into each other. This was before the days

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<v Speaker 1>of video conferencing. I'm pretty sure I still had a

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<v Speaker 1>dial up internet connection there for a while. So there

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<v Speaker 1>was no reason to get dressed. I also had the

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<v Speaker 1>disconcerting thought that without any formal, time specific commitments, my

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<v Speaker 1>friends might not notice if anything happened to me for

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<v Speaker 1>a while. So, since I've always loved singing, I auditioned

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<v Speaker 1>for and joined three choirs. Soon enough. On Monday's, Tuesdays

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<v Speaker 1>and Thursdays I had summer, I was supposed to be

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<v Speaker 1>around seven pm. This meant I had to quit work

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<v Speaker 1>around six or six fifteen to get ready and traveled

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<v Speaker 1>to rehearsals. That quitting time provided a lot of structure

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<v Speaker 1>to my weeks, and it made me more efficient. If

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<v Speaker 1>I knew i'd just work or half work and half

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<v Speaker 1>served the web until ten pm, there was no reason

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<v Speaker 1>to get going on anything. Knowing that anything do the

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<v Speaker 1>next day had to be done by six pm made

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<v Speaker 1>me a lot more focused. Since then, I've recommended coming

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<v Speaker 1>up with a non work evening commitment to all sorts

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<v Speaker 1>of folks who work from home. People who have kids

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<v Speaker 1>might naturally have a stopping point to their days, at

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<v Speaker 1>least in normal times you have to pick up the

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<v Speaker 1>kids at daycare or send your sitter home, But people

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<v Speaker 1>without these constraints need to come up with something else,

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<v Speaker 1>and so joining a softball team or volunteering at a

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<v Speaker 1>food bank once a week might serve the same function.

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<v Speaker 1>These commitments give you a reason to clock out and

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<v Speaker 1>have an engaging life outside of work. Of course, these days,

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<v Speaker 1>many activities are on a hiatus. That's six thirty pm

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<v Speaker 1>spin class or an eight pm book club or five

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<v Speaker 1>thirty pm volunteer shift at the library. Can no longer

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<v Speaker 1>tell you if it's time to stop work, so we

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<v Speaker 1>have to set our own rhythms for pursuing projects. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>you remind yourself six p m. Is when I go

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<v Speaker 1>for a walk, or six pm is when I start

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<v Speaker 1>my daily project of cooking through the joy of cooking.

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<v Speaker 1>In warmer parts of the US, now is a great

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<v Speaker 1>time of year to plant a little garden, So maybe

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<v Speaker 1>you'll want to clock out early enough to get a

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<v Speaker 1>good chunk of time in your garden before sunset. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>you can pick up a craft you used to enjoy,

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<v Speaker 1>or read all the works of George Elliott. Whatever your

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<v Speaker 1>particular interests, you'll be happier and more productive if you

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<v Speaker 1>do something besides work and worry. When you get a life,

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<v Speaker 1>you enjoy life more if you're working from home. What

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<v Speaker 1>lets you know when it's time to end your work day.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you have a project that makes your days richer

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<v Speaker 1>and more rewarding. I'd love to hear about it. You

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<v Speaker 1>can reach me at Laura at Laura Vanderkim dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and

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<v Speaker 1>here's to succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New

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<v Speaker 1>Corner Office is a production of I Heart Radio. For

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<v Speaker 1>more podcasts, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>or wherever you get your favorite shows. H