The other night as Kent and I were getting ready for bed, he said he’d decided something if/when he is completely out of work. His last day with his current company is February 26, and so far opportunities are not exactly plentiful, so he could well be totally unemployed in about eight weeks.
Anyway, he said he’d decided that he would get dressed every day but then amended that rule to exclude shoes. Since most of his shoes didn’t survive the water damage, he doesn’t have a pair he considers entirely comfortable. So he thought wearing slippers would be acceptable. I told him in my experience, he might want to wear shoes at least half the time since otherwise he’ll lose the normal tough spots on his feet and when he needs to wear shoes, he’ll get blisters. Plus, if I hadn’t been wearing shoes when our apartment filled with water, I would have had to go barefoot in Boston and that is not a good thing.
After I had been out of work for a month or so, I devised my own list of behaviors and practices that I believed were both helpful and essential in staying calm and balanced during this time. So in no particular order, here they are:
1. Shower, put on make-up and get dressed every day—including shoes. This sounds like a no-brainer but I have friends in similar circumstances who don’t. Obviously if you don’t wear make-up normally, this item wouldn’t apply to you but I do normally wear it. And with the exception of three days, I’ve put it on every day.
2. Work out regularly. For me, that’s six days a week. I stay fit, plus exercise is a fantastic mood-booster. And I certainly have the time for it.
3. Stay connected to friends and family. Most of the time, this connection is virtual because let’s face it, plane tickets are expensive and even driving somewhere isn’t cheap. But the internet makes staying connected very easy, assuming your friends and family are also online.
4. Keep your brain active. I read a lot, and I started this blog entirely for myself. Writing is a great way for me to both process what’s going on in my life and also use my brain.
5. Get back to your cheap hobbies. For me, that’s sewing although if I’m not careful I can spend a lot on fabric or patterns. So now finding super cheap patterns and fabric I like at low prices becomes part of the process. The fabric store I go to here in Boston has two giant tables filled with out of date patterns. Vogue patterns are $5 each, and the rest are only $1. Most of the time, the out of date patterns suit my purposes just fine.
6. Get outside pretty much every day. I don’t always do this here in Boston, mostly because the weather can be uncooperative. However now that we are in temporary quarters, I’ve got a built-in errand I have to do regularly—pick up the mail at our apartment. That’s about a half mile walk each way.
7. Keep regular waking/sleeping hours. I don’t know about you, but I find that if I stick to regular bedtimes and regular wake-up times, I am generally a lot better rested. Plus if/when I get a job, I don’t want to go through a week or so of adjusting to getting up at a normal working day time. Returning to work will be a big enough adjustment for me, why add to it?
I’m hoping Kent isn’t actually out of work or that if he is, it’s only for a week or so. I was glad, though, that he has already started thinking about his own routine should that happen.
9 comments:
Our dear mutual friend, Marty, moved to the real boonies about twenty years ago - can't see or hear anyone else, only the river, trees and wildlife. She said, 'Put your lipstick on every day no matter what.' I think she, and you, have the right idea. I may even adapt some of those things to my primarily stay-at-home retirement life.
It really does help. I had someone ask me who I was dressing for -- I said I was doing it for ME.
I have to say that I am with K on the shoe aspect. Even when working from home, I do shower, put on clean clothes (which I hope match) and fix my hair, but don't see the point of shoes.
Regular sleep schedule also good.
Lemming makes the point I was going to make, which is that some of the same routines apply to working at home. I always shower and put on clothes, but never shoes or lip stain, which is pretty much my only makeup. I use stay-at-home days to wear blistex and soothe my lips from the horrors of living in the north.
Well I didn't wear shoes the first six months (go go slippers!) and then I HAD to wear shoes in Boston and got probably seven blisters. That hurt a lot.
Well, the wearing shoes part should go along with the going outside once a day part. I promise you that even I don't go barefoot outside in an Ohio winter (at least not since December when I went out to pick up the newspaper!)
It won't surprise you that I do only 3 out of the 7 which will most likely immediately indict me. However, I REALLY never see anyone, and most people don't believe that.
My son leaves tomorrow to go back to NO and school. I will consider adding in the other 4, although if I am attacked by fox or bear, shudder...Still, if I keep on doing the same thing, etc.
I couldn't agree more with these ideas (well, with the exception of wearing makeup--not exactly my style!). I'd also add that it's a good idea to reduce TV watching, or even take drastic steps and get rid of your TV. It's almost too easy to vaporize too many free hours that way.
Also I'd amplify #7. Since I retired from my career 18 months ago, I made a habit of getting up even earlier than I did when I was working. I make a point of spending the first couple of hours of each day writing (usually my blog, but sometimes other projects). It helps me make the most of my mornings, and I feel better throughout the day about how I'm using my time.
Dan
Casual Kitchen
Because I juggle taking care of the kids along with my own work-from-home load, I am rarely able to keep a routine for long. But those days I can stick with it, we are ALL happier. Even on the most hectic of days (including recent trip of hubby to ER), we have healthy meals at roughly the same time daily. I agree with TV watching...huge time sucker.
E, as always, you hit the nail on the head. These are excellent tips.
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