I am not a stay at home type of person… that’s for sure. So I am beyond excited to be filming with my awesome clients again, and meeting new ones for the first time.
Working at home has meant procrastination has been more difficult to keep at bay, daily routine has made a dramatic shift and snacking is at an all time high.
Hands up who else feels this way!
Here are 10 things I’ve learned about myself during my work from home routine in isolation.
1. I love working with others!
I love meeting new people everyday from all different industries and walks of life. My favourite part about being a videographer is connecting with new people and learning about where they come from.
Interviewing and brainstorming on set is where my creative energy flows the easiest. I work best when I’m around other people and bouncing ideas.
Their energy boosts my energy and vice versa when I get to work with creative people, and it’s so rewarding to create things as a team.
2. Changing my workspace really does refresh my mind
I have a lovely, neat office set up at home. And I cannot sit still in it…
I would often venture out to the park or a local cafe to work, or I would be trekking all over the countryside on shoots. When all that came to an abrupt halt it was a serious shock to the system.
When I would normally only spend a couple of short days per week in the office I could easier work all day at my desk. When it became everyday surrounded by the same old four walls… I was going stir crazy.
I have developed a rotation of working outside on my balcony, cross-legged on my couch, sitting on the floor at the coffee table and eventually back into the office when all other areas are exhausted.
When I start feeling stale in one area it’s time to change locations and it really does help to refresh my mind!
3. I’m a procrasti-cleaner…
Every time I have a brain freeze, every time I have a video rendering, every time I just didn’t quite feel like starting work for the day… out came the procrasti-cleaner.
I find it so much easier to focus if the space around me is tidy, but a bit of a clean freak reared its head as the weeks in isolation went on.
At least there could be worse ways to procrastinate!
4. Creativity fuels creativity
I began sketching and painting again after a six year hiatus from my art. As life became busier I gave up working on my art just for fun because it didn’t seem important enough to spend time on when there were so many other things to do!
But as I was forced to slow down I rediscovered my absolute love for sketching, painting and being creative outside of video. I realised it’s okay to just sit and create for no other reason than because I love it.
In fact, that’s the most important reason there is!
And I’ve found that being creative just for fun has helped me be more creative in my work. You can’t use up creativity. It’s like a muscle; the more you use it, the more it grows!
5. I’m definitely still a night owl
I’ve always felt more creative at night, but when the rest of the world I’m working with starts their day at 6am (yikes) I guess that means I do too!
I worked really hard on creating an early-rise early-to-rest schedule for myself when there was always things to do and places to be. And I almost believed I’d become an early bird!
But it only took four days for my body clock to revert to its night owl ways. I wonder how long it’ll take to get back into that early routine now!
6. I was not, in fact, dressing up “for myself”
I love wearing fun outfits and feeling good in the clothes I’m in. But when there was no one to see those fun outfits I had to accept the fact that I was not, in reality, ‘dressing up for myself’ as I previously claimed.
Hellooo daytime pyjamas.
7. Canned spaghetti is the breakfast of champions
I wasn’t normally one for breakfast, but I rediscovered my love for canned spaghetti on toast during isolation; and spaghetti, I’ll never give you up again.
8. I am obsessed with learning new things!
This has always been true, but with quieter work days there was more time to listen to and read podcasts, blogs and books.
I have had tendencies in the past of becoming a self-development junkie though, so I have to pace myself to avoid going into a spiral.
Starting the morning with a strong cup of coffee and an hour of personal growth content or activities has been a great way for me to positively setup the rest of my day.
9. I love routine… as long as it’s different everyday
Let’s get this straight, I love scheduling my time to stay organised. But I cannot stand doing the same thing day in, day out… that is a sure fire way to send me crazy.
I get a buzz from booking new jobs and filling in my calendar like a puzzle. I love going to new places for every film shoot and taking in new atmosphere’s for the first time. Turning up to the same desk everyday is not my idea of fun.
10. Connecting virtually could never beat giving a friend a big hug
This one needs no further explanation.
What have you learnt about yourself during isolation? Leave a comment below!