The work-life balance is notoriously difficult to maintain. Some of us are nine to fivers, some of us freelancers, and some still, workaholics. But how do we know when we spend more time at the office than we do at home? Here are the tell-tale signs that it's probably time to call it a day.
1. You have an extra toothbrush in the office bathroom.
Just like the "toothbrush milestone" signifies a big jump in a romantic relationship, it also signifies a big jump in a professional relationship. In this case, the relationship is between you and work. When you're brushing your teeth in the office bathroom, that means you've spent way too much time in the office. Or you should stop ordering from that chicken wing place.
2. You have a lamp at your desk and you actually use it.
It may seem mundane. Sure. A good old ordinary lamp. But if you actually use it, that means the natural light in your office is not bright enough to supply adequate light. That means one of a few things: it's way too early to be working, it's way too late to be working, or you need to invest in some better wattage overhead. If you're going to use a lamp, you should use this one.
3. You're the office barista.
First one in makes the coffee, right? If you find yourself constantly refilling that thing and restocking the whole office, congratulations: your benevolence may likely never be rewarded. We say, it's okay to give yourself credit by writing a little note by the coffee maker, "Coffee courtesy of [Your Name Here]. You're welcome."
4. You have a full set of cutlery and tableware in the kitchen.
Many employees come equipped with their own mugs and minimal cutlery to take care of their daily lunch situation. But if you find that you also have a pitcher, a lemon zester, measuring cups, a decanter, and a standing mixer in your office kitchen, you may want to consider going home at some point. Unless you're making pancakes for the whole office, we suggest you keep that stuff for Sunday morning in your pajamas.
5. You arrange roses in the waiting room.
Uh oh. Now that your office is becoming so homey and lovely, why would you ever want to leave? And now that the smell of overused servers is masked by garden-fresh roses, there's more reason to stop and give 'em a sniff.
6. You put your feet on your desk and you're not even aware of it.
We want you to be comfortable at your desk. That's why we love ergonomic chairs and little zen gardens. But it's kind of crossing the line when you recline too much. You might just fall asleep!
7. You've slept on your office couch on more than one occasion.
There's nothing wrong with late nights. But fact: someone can mistake you as a scary intruder if they come in in the morning to see you snoozing (and drooling) on the office couch. There's nothing you can do at 4am that you can't do the next day after a full night's sleep. Here are some sleep tips to get you primed for a great day.
8. You have a set of nail clippers and a comb in your file cabinets.
Personal hygiene is important, but please, not at your desk.
9. You watch TV in the office lounge during your lunch break.
Your lunch break is yours to do whatever you want. So take a load off. As long as you're not laughing disruptively like you would at home, we say this one's okay.
10. Your whole day is one continuous lunch break.
Similarly to point 4, if you live at your office, you'll likely have a large array of snacks to keep energized. Despite what dieters will say, snacking is important. But if you're spending an hour deciding what to eat next, you should probably be doing that at home.
11. On dress-down Fridays, you bring your slippers.
We know the term "dress-down" is vague, but it still has to be professional. Jeans are acceptable, but footie pajamas get a bit iffy. It depends on your boss.
12. You are obsessed with your office goldfish, Goldie.
There are so many benefits to having pets in the workplace. First of all, pets can be a great stress-reducer. But spending all of your time watching Goldie eat her fish flakes and bump into the pirate treasure chest is not going to do anything for your productivity.
13. You have off-season coats and accessories in the office closet.
It's great to be prepared when a thunderstorm unexpectedly hits. But chances are, you're not going to need your rain boots, overcoat, duffle bag, extra belts, ties, etc. The closet is community ground, and please, take that stuff home already.
We love that you're spending a lot of time at the office. You're making great connections with your coworkers, showing your boss you're devoted to your work, and really making yourself at home. But remember, it's not the number of hours you put in, but the quality of work you do at the office. And at the end of the day, your own bed is a lot nicer to sleep in than a sleeping bag you've set up in the conference room.
Spending too much time at the office? Maybe it's time to join the family business.
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.