WEBVTT - The New Corner Office: Start gently, then strong

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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 location and hours are more

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

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<v Speaker 1>mornings when you are dragging and when bounding out of

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<v Speaker 1>bed to tackle your to do list feels about as

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<v Speaker 1>doable as running a marathon in a heat wave. You

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<v Speaker 1>could get up and go full force to work anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>That's what we did when we worked in traditional offices. However,

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<v Speaker 1>we felt we showered and made our way to work

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<v Speaker 1>by a specified time, and that's not necessarily a bad idea.

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<v Speaker 1>But today's tip is about a different approach, one that's

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<v Speaker 1>an option for many remote workers. On mornings when you're

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<v Speaker 1>struggling to get going, try a gentle start followed by

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<v Speaker 1>a strong start. Here's what I mean for a gentle start.

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<v Speaker 1>Lower the demands of what it means to get out

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<v Speaker 1>of bed and get going. Instead of treating getting up

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<v Speaker 1>as synonymous with going full steam. Just ease out from

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<v Speaker 1>under the covers, have a cup of coffee, process a

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<v Speaker 1>few easy emails, and maybe read some easy newsletters. Take

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<v Speaker 1>a glance at the day's meetings and just generally think

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<v Speaker 1>about what those will look like. You're not asking much

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<v Speaker 1>of yourself. You're just doing a half hour or so

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<v Speaker 1>of gentle work. Then take a shower, get dressed, and

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<v Speaker 1>return to your desk to tackle your top priority with gusto.

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<v Speaker 1>There are a lot of reasons to try this, but

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<v Speaker 1>one is that a lot of people are doing this anyway.

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<v Speaker 1>Many folks are finding it harder to get out of

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<v Speaker 1>bed and get going, especially as the days tend to

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<v Speaker 1>blend into each other. I understand that many people are

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<v Speaker 1>having more low energy and low motivation days now than usual.

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<v Speaker 1>Giving yourself permission to enjoy a gentle start on those

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<v Speaker 1>days can keep you from feeling bad about yourself or

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<v Speaker 1>pushing yourself harder than is sustainable. Trying a gentle start

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<v Speaker 1>followed by a strong start also enables you to avoid

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<v Speaker 1>hitting snooze trying to put off work that seems unpleasantly difficult.

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<v Speaker 1>It also keeps you from forcing yourself to sit at

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<v Speaker 1>the desk and then not getting much done. You simply

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<v Speaker 1>acknowledge that you are easing into work and that your

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<v Speaker 1>tentative efforts will be followed by a strong start a

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<v Speaker 1>little later. Maybe as the caffeine kicks in, or as

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<v Speaker 1>you see sunshine, or as your house quiets down, or

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<v Speaker 1>whatever it takes. I like to think of the gentle

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<v Speaker 1>start as dipping your toe into the water of the workday.

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<v Speaker 1>Then a little later you're ready to dive in and

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<v Speaker 1>start swimming. Of course, the gentle start followed by a

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<v Speaker 1>strong start isn't only an option for low energy mornings.

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<v Speaker 1>When you work from home, you have more discretion over

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<v Speaker 1>how you manage your time. In general, you can take

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<v Speaker 1>advantage of that flexibility. Having a gentle start to the

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<v Speaker 1>morning works for you, then by all means do that.

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<v Speaker 1>That's kind of how I'm working these days. My nights

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<v Speaker 1>are often interrupted by my nine month old baby, so

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<v Speaker 1>I tend to start slow. I read newsletters over my coffee,

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<v Speaker 1>I look at email, I look at blogs. I think

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<v Speaker 1>about my to do list. I get the kids breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>and make sure that they are logged in for their

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<v Speaker 1>virtual lessons. Then finally I'm more awake and able to

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<v Speaker 1>execute on my top priority for the day. I do

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<v Speaker 1>trust that I will get to it. But easing out

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<v Speaker 1>of bed is more possible during this phase of life

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<v Speaker 1>than jumping Someday I might do more jumping, but not now.

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<v Speaker 1>So the next time you wake up feeling a little

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<v Speaker 1>bit sluggish, consider whether a gentle start to the day

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<v Speaker 1>might be the way to go. You can always make

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<v Speaker 1>a strong start a little later. It will be okay,

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<v Speaker 1>and it might be more sustainable. In the meantime. This

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<v Speaker 1>is Laura. Thanks, thanks for listening, and here's to succeeding

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<v Speaker 1>in the New Corner Office. The New Corner Office is

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<v Speaker 1>a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts, visit the iHeartRadio app,

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<v Speaker 1>Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.