How I Spice Up My Work from Home Routine

With the COVID-19 pandemic transforming the workplace now more than ever, working from home is becoming more commonplace now more than ever. I have been working from home since I started my job at the end of July and will continue to do so until the beginning of 2022 and most likely beyond. Working from home may not be ideal for some, but it is essential especially with the Delta variant and the safety and health risks that COVID-19 brings to us all. Even beyond this ongoing pandemic, working from home will continue to be a common thing. Today, I am going to share how I spice up my own work from home routine in a variety of different ways.

How I Spice Up My Work From Home Routine

  • Coffee Breaks – As someone who is addicted to coffee, I take many many many coffee breaks throughout the day. Recently, I have become *obsessed* with iced coffee and purchased the Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Machine (read my review of it here). It takes just about five minutes to prepare and make my own iced coffee, and it is most definitely worth it. Not only does a coffee break allow me to fuel up before I get back to working, I also can take a mini mental break away from the screens.
  • Dog Walks – I have a Shepherd-Chihuahua mix named Rosie, and I have loved being her Dog Mama! Rosie is very high maintenance and LOVES her long walks. When I have time in between meetings and necessary work correspondence, I like to take her for walks around the neighborhood and simply hang out with her in the front yard where she LOVES to sit all day. Taking a dog walk allows me to truly clear my mind and get a fresh start on my work tasks, too!
  • Wearing ACTUAL Work Clothes – Yes, everyday for work even Zoom work, I wear actual clothes. When I mean actual clothes, I mean clothes that are actually deemed appropriate for the work environment that I am in. Those clothing items do not include pajama pants and a nice top or dress. I go all in and out and put on makeup, too. Personally, I feel that I am more productive when I dress up for the day, so I do. However, I know that others can be just as productive if not more when they wear what they choose, no matter what it is. On the same token, my company does not have a dress code for the most part, but I do prefer to dress up than not either way.
  • Pre-Work Coffee Chats – In the morning, I like to drink a cup of coffee brewed freshly from my Keurig and chat with my Papa and hang with my dog Rosie. It’s nice to wake up and chat and simply get my mind running before I even crack my work laptop open for the day. It’s a nice way to be able to wake up, but also not simply rush into the structured work day behind the Zoom cameras and computer screens.
  • Meal Prep – If you know me, then you know I am a sucker for a good meal, especially cooked by me! I love cooking and find it a blast. Meal prep has become one of my favorite ways to whip up a delicious lunch and have it ready to go so I can work through the lunch time that I had allotted for myself on a given day. Some of my favorite meals include: sandwiches, leftovers from a previous dinner, pasta, salad, and soup. Not only does meal prep allow for an easy and convenient way to eat through the work day, but it also saves me money, too.
  • Making My Bed – One of the best ways to kick off my day involve making my bed! My Mom always tells me that if you didn’t feel like you accomplished anything on a given day, if you made your bed, then you accomplished something. Everyday after I get ready, I make my bed and get on the grind. Making my bed makes me feel great, and it allows for me to get all of the pillows off of the floor – hah – and crawl into bed that night in a freshly made bed, as well.

Working from home can be a challenge, but there are pretty great aspects to it too. Getting the opportunity to work from home allows me to have the flexibility to work from wherever and doing my work whenever I can, meetings and schedule permitting is super great and has been a major perk to it all. Not to mention, I enjoy walking my dog and seeing her during my breaks 24/7. COVID-19 may have had its downfalls, but it also has its ups, including the benefits of working from home. But, I am excited, above all else, to go back into the office when I can.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Bright Work from Home Essentials

Working 9 to 5! Work is probably the most productive and time consuming part of our days. When working, it can be pretty tiring to spend the 9 to 5 timeframe doing solely work, yet it must be done. Since having to do most of my Senior year of college in a virtual setting, I am going to be sharing some of my work from home essentials – most of which I used during my virtual “Zoom University” days!

As always, I will share where I got some of my work from home essentials, and where you can get these essentials too! Please note that not all of these items will be the exact item that I use on a day to day basis.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

My Work From Home Essentials!

Pouches & MANY Pouches! – I use them for a variety of purposes, ranging from carrying pencils, pens, erasers, pencil lead, etc., feminine products, toiletries, caffeinated Crystal Lite, and makeup. Shop some of my most recently purchased and primarily used pouches below:

Coffee Mugs – Yes, coffee mugs are my ALL DAY EVERYDAY essential. There is NO WAY that I could kick off my days without a good old cup of Keurig-brewed coffee. It is, indeed, the only way I will wake up and put my all into my work. Mugs are also a super fun way to show off some personal flair. I have a massive mug collection and a coffee section in my apartment simply dedicated to my mugs and *of course* Keurig. You can shop some of my favorite mugs linked below:

Hot Coffee & Iced Coffee – If you can’t tell by now, coffee is my holy grail work from home essential! I always enjoy both a freshly poured Keurig-brewed cup of coffee each and every single morning to kick off my work days. Then, by the mid-morning-afternoon, I enjoy a cup of iced coffee, too. My favorite brands for K-Cups include: Kripsy Kreme, Folgers, and The Original Donut Shop. Personally, I get whatever is cheapest at the grocery store of those 3 and whatever is one sale *ballin’ on a budget am I right?!*. I regularly and loyally used Delight’s Fat Free/Sugar Free Carmel flavored creamer. Meanwhile, for iced coffee, I always go with Delight’s iced coffee in either the Carmel or French Vanilla flavors! I get all of these items at my local grocery store.

Caffeinated Crystal Lite Packets – Likewise to coffee and iced coffee, I also have another favorite caffeinated drink of mine – Crystal Lite packets! My mother introduced me to these and I was hooked! Yes, Crystal Lite has caffeinated packets that you can put into your favorite water bottles or tumblers and stir in/shake once you add some water to it. These Crystal Lite packets are extremely low in calorie AND are caffeinated. They come in 2-4 different flavors and are great for a nice refresher that is on the go and low in costs and calories, too. The boxes are around $2.50 each for a box of 10 packets which is about 25 cents/drink and can be found at your local grocery store where I get mine weekly – take that Starbucks!

Tumblers – Now that you know I have an addiction to iced coffee and Crystal Lite, then you must know that I also have an addiction to adorable tumblers that I drink my addictions out of! My tumblers have been an excellent way to show off my personal flair, very similar to a coffee mug, but with a super fun straw, too. You can shop some of my favorite tumblers linked below:

Fun Notebooks – Since starting my new job, I have become an avid notetaker. I honestly feel like a brand-new intern in Grey’s Anatomy at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital with my pen and notebook frantically taking notes but make it on Zoom – haha! Call me first day intern Meredith Grey I guess!! Anyhow, on another note, I have linked a few of my favorite notebooks that I have enjoyed using:

AirPods – Recently, I decided to take the plunge and *finally* invest in a pair of AirPods! Let me just tell y’all – these are a GAME CHANGER! They’re great not only for working at home, since they’re super easy to use and charge, but they are will be great for when I have to go into the office as well.

Erasable Pens – Let’s just say that erasable pens are literally my new hero! Confessions: the concept of erasable pens is SO cool to me to the point of where I literally write things just to erase them – hah! In high school, I was always that girl with the color coded notes and notebooks, so now having the luxury to erase with my pens is an extraordinary plus! Shop them here: https://rstyle.me/+LxykNqypcuLTggpujT2klA.

Planner – If you know me, then you know that I am an Enneagram Type 3! For those who don’t know much about Enneagram Type 3’s (confession: I seriously only read up on my own Enneagram Type and Wing – I’m a Type 2 Wing! – whoops), we are extremely planner-focused, future-oriented, and always always always productive. I use both digital planners and a paperback planner and have tried both the Lilly Pulitzer planners of the large and jumbo sizes (jumbo size is my favorite, though) and the Erin Condren planner. Personally, Lilly Pulitzer’s planners work best for me practically speaking than the Erin Condren planner. Though, I will note that the Erin Condren site has a customizable option for planners and a wider array of stickers than offered on the first pages of the Lilly Pulitzer planner: a trait that some may prefer than not. Digitally, I use the app Evernote (free version) on both my phone and laptop, but primarily my laptop and LOVE it. Since some planners work best for different people, I will link both the Lilly Pulitzer and Erin Condren planners down below:

Throw Blankets – Throw blankets are honestly my holy grail!!! They have been getting me through these long long long days made up of Zoom. Throw blankets have been an excellent way for me to stay comfy and cozy while still being productive. Typically, I purchase mine from Home Goods (specifically the hot pink or flamingo printed one’s) or Vera Bradley in the clearance section or at their outlets. I will say, though, that Kate Spade has some pretty incredible huge throw blankets that are great, too, and they’re usually always on the shelves at any local Home Goods storefront in all colors and a few prints (mine is in hot pink *surprise!*).

TI-84 Plus CE Calculator – This may just be a Math major thing, BUT my TI-84 Plus CE calculator has become a vital part of my working days. I use it for a variety of things, whether it be simple math problems/calculations (because y’all us Math majors don’t just know the multiplication tables in our heads at the click of a mouse) or for budgeting and other adulting things. It’s really nice to have right there and handy and not have to Google up a calculator when I need one.

Mason Jars – I found that there is so much benefit in having Mason jars right there at your workplace front. Mason jars are an excellent use for storage, especially for desk essentials. I use mine to store pens, pencils, highlighters, scissors, and even old motivational quotes that I wrote on sticky notes. All in all, mason jars are a pretty handy and photo pretty way to store your desk essentials. Not to mention, mason jars are pretty affordable too and can be found in packs for under $10 at Walmart or Target or even $1 each at none other than The Dollar Tree.

Working from home may not be ideal for some, but having the right essentials at one’s fingertips can make it much more bearable and perhaps even fun!

XOXO – Katie <3

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