1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: new world of work where location and hours are more 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is for those 5 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: mornings when you are dragging and when bounding out of 6 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: bed to tackle your to do list feels about as 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: doable as running a marathon in a heat wave. You 8 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: could get up and go full force to work anyway, 9 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: That's what we did when we worked in traditional offices. However, 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: we felt we showered and made our way to work 11 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: by a specified time, and that's not necessarily a bad idea. 12 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: But today's tip is about a different approach, one that's 13 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: an option for many remote workers. On mornings when you're 14 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: struggling to get going, try a gentle start followed by 15 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: a strong start. Here's what I mean for a gentle start. 16 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: Lower the demands of what it means to get out 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: of bed and get going. Instead of treating getting up 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: as synonymous with going full steam. Just ease out from 19 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: under the covers, have a cup of coffee, process a 20 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 1: few easy emails, and maybe read some easy newsletters. Take 21 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: a glance at the day's meetings and just generally think 22 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: about what those will look like. You're not asking much 23 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: of yourself. You're just doing a half hour or so 24 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: of gentle work. Then take a shower, get dressed, and 25 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: return to your desk to tackle your top priority with gusto. 26 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: There are a lot of reasons to try this, but 27 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: one is that a lot of people are doing this anyway. 28 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: Many folks are finding it harder to get out of 29 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: bed and get going, especially as the days tend to 30 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: blend into each other. I understand that many people are 31 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: having more low energy and low motivation days now than usual. 32 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: Giving yourself permission to enjoy a gentle start on those 33 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: days can keep you from feeling bad about yourself or 34 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: pushing yourself harder than is sustainable. Trying a gentle start 35 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 1: followed by a strong start also enables you to avoid 36 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: hitting snooze trying to put off work that seems unpleasantly difficult. 37 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: It also keeps you from forcing yourself to sit at 38 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: the desk and then not getting much done. You simply 39 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: acknowledge that you are easing into work and that your 40 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: tentative efforts will be followed by a strong start a 41 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: little later. Maybe as the caffeine kicks in, or as 42 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: you see sunshine, or as your house quiets down, or 43 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: whatever it takes. I like to think of the gentle 44 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 1: start as dipping your toe into the water of the workday. 45 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: Then a little later you're ready to dive in and 46 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: start swimming. Of course, the gentle start followed by a 47 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: strong start isn't only an option for low energy mornings. 48 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: When you work from home, you have more discretion over 49 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: how you manage your time. In general, you can take 50 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: advantage of that flexibility. Having a gentle start to the 51 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: morning works for you, then by all means do that. 52 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: That's kind of how I'm working these days. My nights 53 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: are often interrupted by my nine month old baby, so 54 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: I tend to start slow. I read newsletters over my coffee, 55 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: I look at email, I look at blogs. I think 56 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: about my to do list. I get the kids breakfast 57 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: and make sure that they are logged in for their 58 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: virtual lessons. Then finally I'm more awake and able to 59 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 1: execute on my top priority for the day. I do 60 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: trust that I will get to it. But easing out 61 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: of bed is more possible during this phase of life 62 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: than jumping Someday I might do more jumping, but not now. 63 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: So the next time you wake up feeling a little 64 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: bit sluggish, consider whether a gentle start to the day 65 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: might be the way to go. You can always make 66 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: a strong start a little later. It will be okay, 67 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: and it might be more sustainable. In the meantime. This 68 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks, thanks for listening, and here's to succeeding 69 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: in the New Corner Office. The New Corner Office is 70 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts, visit the iHeartRadio app, 71 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.