{"id":24792,"date":"2020-06-16T03:37:29","date_gmt":"2020-06-16T09:37:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/corevalues.com\/?p=24792"},"modified":"2020-06-16T03:37:29","modified_gmt":"2020-06-16T09:37:29","slug":"life-and-remote-work-tips-lessons-from-marathon-runners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/2020\/06\/16\/life-and-remote-work-tips-lessons-from-marathon-runners\/","title":{"rendered":"Life and Remote Work Tips – Lessons from Marathon Runners"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Many of us began the quarantine thinking that the work-from-home arrangement was temporary.\u00a0 It was a stopgap arrangement until statistics showed a decrease in cases. But the \u201ctemporary\u201d as we know it is fast becoming a way of life.\u00a0 A few days of quarantine became weeks. Weeks became months.\u00a0 And now the experts theorize that until a safe vaccine is found, home is the safest place to be \u2013 which means that it may take a year or two till we get back to life as we knew it. Therefor, what are life and remote work tips that will help us through the long run?<\/p>\n

One thing\u2019s for certain, remote work for the rest of 2020 is a possibility.<\/p>\n

This is what we know two months into remote work for both life and remote work tips.<\/h4>\n

It isn\u2019t as easy as we thought.\u00a0 No app, platform, or bot could take the place of face-to-face interaction. \u00a0Suddenly many parents who now work from home found themselves homeschooling their children as well. Those whose livelihoods depend on social interaction now have to rethink their professions and career goals.\u00a0 Many have reported feelings of anxiety and depression.\u00a0 Contrary to what we giddily expected, tipping the work-life balance scale is more of a challenge with the blurred boundaries of work and home.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Life and remote work tips: Life is a marathon, not a sprint to achieve<\/h4>\n

It seems clear that living through the cycle of COVID-19 is akin to a marathon.\u00a0 It entails prolonged periods of discomfort. The only way to get through to the finish line is with awareness, pacing, and endurance.\u00a0 Here are four mindsets we can pocket from endurance athletes such as triathletes, cyclists, and long-distance runners.<\/p>\n

\"WorkMindset #1:\u00a0 Know your purpose<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

Long-distance runners train for \u201cthe wall\u201d \u2013 that barrier that gets in the way between you and running your best at the latter stages of a race. \u00a0It\u2019s the part when fatigue hits and feelings of negativity begin to set in.<\/p>\n

Seasoned marathoners know that the fears are usually far from reality.\u00a0 Hitting the wall isn\u2019t something that should be avoided. It\u2019s a mindset.\u00a0 When the going gets tough, when working from home is starting to overwhelm you, remember your why\u2019s.\u00a0 You do this because it\u2019s safer for you to work from home. You delegate tasks to encourage interdependence.\u00a0 You keep going because you lead a team at work and they look up to you for motivation.<\/p>\n

Do take note that feelings of fatigue have a psychological and physical component. Take frequent breaks when needed.\u00a0 Disconnect from all forms of social media for a few minutes each day and schedule regular downtime.<\/p>\n

\"positiveMindset #2:\u00a0 Celebrate the little victories<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s wonderful to dream about winning an Ironman triathlon or running that 42 kilometers at a new personal best \u2026 until you realize just how hard it takes to get to the finish line.\u00a0 But having your eyes set only on the end goal can be demotivating when you know just how much you need to do, spend, and sacrifice to get there.<\/p>\n

The solution?\u00a0 Break your goal into chunks and celebrate the little goals.\u00a0 Runners celebrate the 10th<\/sup> kilometer, then the 15th<\/sup>, the 21st<\/sup>, the 25th,<\/sup> and so on till they reach the 42nd.\u00a0 Likewise, break down your goals into components. For instance, your daily to-do list may simply include getting up at a certain time, limiting social media use, ticking off at least 10 items from your to-do list. Your bigger goals could include facilitating that Zoom meeting or doing a one-on-one session with colleagues. Nothing is too small.<\/p>\n

The little victories keep you in the here and now while pursuing our end goal \u2013 to get through this pandemic with mind, body, and soul intact.<\/p>\n

\"bestMindset #3:\u00a0 Be realistic<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

The cardinal rule of triathletes and long-distance runners is to acknowledge that the race is long and difficult.\u00a0 Nobody expects it to be easy.\u00a0 If you envisioned that a work-from-home would be a walk in the park, then you\u2019ve set yourself up for disappointment.<\/p>\n

Elite runners expect the race to be hard, that way they can be delightfully surprised when it becomes easier.\u00a0 This in turn, helps performance.\u00a0 Similarly, when you expect this new arrangement to be easy- peasy, the moment you hit new challenges, panic sets in and you lose your ability to bounce back.<\/p>\n

Expect remote work to be hard.\u00a0 There will be highs and lows.\u00a0 Your objective is to stay with it so you can respond aptly.\u00a0 When the highs occur (high productivity, trust among peers, interdependence among team members), remind yourself that this is what\u2019s happening.\u00a0 When the lows happen (technical problems, mismatched schedules, delayed payments) say the same thing, \u201cthis is what\u2019s happening and I can overcome it\u201d.\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"Mindset #4:\u00a0 Pace yourself<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

Its common for neophyte endurance athletes to start moving faster when they feel good early in the race \u2026 only to crash kilometers later.\u00a0 The veteran runners know better to restrain themselves even when things are going well.<\/p>\n

The take away here is this: go slow to go fast.\u00a0 When things are cruising along just fine, don\u2019t abruptly set earlier deadlines. Avoid the temptation to bump up production or set challenging objectives right away.\u00a0 If you do too much too soon, overexerting yourself (or your team) at the beginning of a long-haul arrangement can backfire.<\/p>\n

Instead, ease into the pace and be mindful of the physical and mental challenges a remote work arrangement entails for you and your team. These are the\u00a0life and remote work tips that will facilitate you in the long run.<\/p>\n

Care to dig deeper in life and remote work tips?<\/h4>\n

Here are some additional resources you might find valuable<\/p>\n