The big, wild ideas

Where were you when you last had a seriously brilliant idea? A big, wild one?

We’ve spoken to a LOT of remote workers & chances are you were moving or on the move. In a new environment or with different people. Perhaps just taking a moment away from the screen to blink & reflect. 

FIVE TIPS FOR SHAKING OUT THE BIG, WILD IDEAS WHEN YOU WFH

These little LoFi habits could bring a big change for you. Who doesn’t want a little more perspective & balance? We think both your career & wellbeing will love you for it.

1. Bring back the commute!

   
   

When you WFH it can be hard switching between work & family & friends. Lots of us forget to pause. Few people miss the time, cost & fumes of the commute but remember how it allowed us time to plan / decompress / reflect? Maybe let’s bring it back on a local level.

Maybe allow a little time for you at either end of the day. A ten minute walk works wonders, we promise. Try a different route. Listen to a podcast. Look at the weather. Say hi to a person. Doesn’t it feel good?

2. Block out some screen free time.

   
   

We know the pressure of the light that shows our team we're online & present. But if we're infront of a screen for the full day, can we be present all the time? A little time to step away & blink will always help you come back brighter.

The number one rule here is to schedule this in advance. Maybe mention this to your boss & ask for their help in suporting you with it. And then stick to it.

You want to minimise distraction so choose a time of day where you’re likely to be in control of your workload & well fuelled. Let colleagues know when you’ll next be available & set your phone to do not disturb. 

Then be intentional with how you use this time. Is it a chance to head somewhere, maybe run an errand & throw in some human contact? Is this for exercise & time outside?

3. WFH = work from anywhere. 

Imagine your best self. Where do you most feel like that best version of you?

You may not be able to head here every week, but we all need to have a place or two that brings out our best. It might be a local coffee shop. A bench with a view. A co-working space that feels like home (except you’re out of your joggers & there are no piles of laundry). Or maybe you can mix some far flung travel as a digital nomad.

Near or far, there’s nothing like a change of scene! We’re busy curating a list of our favourite Work Spots. Discover one near you!

4. A physical notebook & pen. 

We spend so much time on our laptops, creating documents, delivering projects, sharing screens, following agendas… doing the thing that’s required. 

Whether you’re a doodler or a list person, we invite you to share our joy in a blank piece of paper & a nice inky pen to unlock the creative side of the brain.

Let your inner narrative out. All the subconscious thoughts & connections that don't have a home in the rest of our scheduled day. What have you scribbled? Does it make sense? Does it even have to?

5. Unpick a problem. 

When grabbing a coffee or a run, take a moment out of your day to unpick a problem or two. Maybe something that’s not working. Something that feels a little tricky. Maybe something that someone is struggling with. 

Give yourself a time limit of maybe 15 minutes then go wild. Be curious. Welcome the unknowns. What would you change? Which of your skills could you use? Who could you ask for their opinion? What could you learn from this? 

Try to do this on a regular basis, using input from your surroundings to spot other problems that need to be solved. Get in the habit of regular problem solving & you’ll soon be the most useful person in your team, able to see what's working or not, shaping your business or even redefining your career!