To think WFH routines are really hard?

[AnAwesomePossum]

Just that, really.

Like many, I’ve been WFH for over a year. I’ve been told I’m the only one from the office that can be continually WFH with all others being hybrid. I’m really pleased on one hand. My DS starts school round the corner this year so I’ll be able to structure my work around him and keep life settled and easy. On the other hand, my routines are fucked. I used to wake at 5:30, walk to the gym (45 mins) an hour there, 30 mins to shower/get ready, start between 8-8.30. Once a week I’d have an evening class instead. Most days was walk back from work (picking up DS on the way back). Every minute was accounted for, but all worked around having to get to/from the office. I was slim, fit and healthy.

Now, I roll out of bed 8-8.30ish, shower, log on. That’s it. I’ve put on over a stone. I’m less stressed, but more miserable. I’m worried if it continues I’m just going to get fatter, lazier and more miserable. But I also don’t want to go back to the office.

So I think, even though my life is more low key now, it’s actually really hard without routine - and finding a routine at home is harder than working round structured ‘out of home’ work. Am I wrong - and if you do it, how?

Do you have a partner at home? If so, can you motivate yourself to get up and out first thing for a run/gym session then home in time for them to go to work?

Is the gym now open? Could you go back to the early visit?

Personally I have found the complete opposite, and have set boundaries that are being respected by colleagues.

I have been in the exact same situation, I'm still waiting to see if I'll be back in the office after the summer at all.

I have really struggled to find time to exercise as my work hours have also increased, so I now go for a run on my lunch break, if I can't run I do a YouTube yoga video instead. It is hard to motivate myself but I reached a stage where I felt so unfit and unhealthy I had to do something.

Maybe try and work things around your work day.

I've started doing a walk before work just to wake myself up. I have put on weight but during lockdown I've been doing running challenges so not too much on. Can't wait to go back to the office though - miss people.

Can you rejoin gym - sounds like if you left at 7 you could at least do a small workout before wfh .

It’s a bit tricky. DS has a dad - we separated before lockdown and are trying to give things another go now - but I wouldn’t want to set my routine around him. Whilst he’s at nursery I have a bit of time, when he’s at school it’s going to have to be very structured.

I think the main thing is I’m struggling with mentally struggling to try right now. I know I could wake up at 6:30 and do a 30 min HIIT in the living room but I’ve lost the drive, because a lot of it fit around my working patterns before. I’m struggled to find a routine as my life just feels chaos yet more calm (if that makes sense).

I was definitely heading for burnout before as I didn’t have a spare second to think. Now there’s too much time but no motivation.

Sorry cross post with your update.

I'm the opposite. I run 5 times a week because I do it after drop off. Quick 30 mins run finishing at home. 5 mins shower. No camera on till my beetroot face cools down! It's possible to find a new routine. It's working out how it fits in. You can still do all those things you're just not in a routine to do so. I work from home every day starting at 7.45 till I leave for the school walk at 8.30. That compensates for the walk to school, 30 minute run and shower. It gets me ready for the day and ready to hit the ground running at 9.30am. I schedule send any emails for 9-9.30 because official start time is 9 and I don't want people thinking I'm starting early and shaming them.

Yes, I think you are right. Until DS is in school I could get back to the gym even if it’s just for 30 mins/ 5 days a week to dip my toes in again.

I hate running (and have a problem from a fracture as a child) so struggle with that. But even a 20 min walk in the mornings would help. I just don’t know how to give myself a kick up the backside to actually do it anymore.

Moving at all is better than not moving much.

Can you arrange it in advance with a friend, sign up for an online class, use a PT for a few sessions or search local facebook groups - there are some local to here that run classes in parks.

I'm the same OP. Struggling to get any motivation and have put on a lot of weight.

I'm still up early to drop the kids off and be back to log in at 8. Two days a week I have a second drop off in my lunch break so that hour is gone. The other 3 days I might not take a lunch so that I dont have to work in the evening.

Kids are home to me at 4.30. I make dinner, do uniforms, school lunch, play with kids. By the time they are in bed, if I dont have to log back on to work I am too tired to do anything else. I really need to find some motivation.

Does the school do breakfast club/after school club? If so, could you walk ds to breakfast club then run for 30mins or so ending the run at home, shower then log in?

Similarly after school club - finish work 30mins before, run ending at school, pick him up and walk home.

I have had the opposite, I never had time for exercise before and am fitting in more now. I find it much easier to get in a walk or run at lunchtime and not having a daily commute gives me 2 hours of my life back.

It may not just be wfh but more the fact that the change meant you fell out of your usual habit. when you get out of the habit of exercising it's hard to get back into it. Set yourself a new plan for 4 or 5 exercise slots a week, stick to it for 3 weeks or so and you will quickly find you are back in the habit.
The weight gain won't just be exercise, to put on a stone you are probably eating bigger portions or less healthily.

You probably need to start small - say a half hour walk at least 5 days out of seven ("Every day" sets you up to fail and get more demotivated). This is what printed newspapers are for. You get up, walk to the shop, pick up your newspaper, and bring it home for breakfast.

While you're doing less exercise, you need to eat less. Try cutting out the bits of your diet that aren't your favourite, make sure you really enjoy every mouthful of food. It's not for ever - only till you find your motivation for going back to the gym, or doing another serious sort of exercise, eg martial arts.

Also it sounded like your previous routine must have relied upon your DS dad taking the bulk of the child caring responsibility every morning with your child if you were leaving the house before 6am each day, if you separated before lockdown and he wasnt around as a result presumably that limited your ability to have that time to exercise? Also if your DS is starting school and that means shorter hours than a day nursery, if you want that time to exercise as you had before perhaps you need to consider wraparound care

Totally agree, I’m just getting fatter and more listless in general! I think we are missing out on SO much physical movement in our daily lives, even days when I wouldn’t gym I was still speed walking on the commute and bounding up stairs etc. I’m looking forward to going back 3 days a week. Hopefully my org sticks to this stated plan but they’re really leaving it to the last minute to confirm

Look outside of the exercise/routine as well

Your relationship is probably taking a lot of mental energy - have a really good think about whether you want to be doing what you're doing & whether he brings you joy or more stress!

Good luck.

I find the wfh routines very hard but it does sound like you have actively chosen this, if everyone else is going back hybrid.

The fact I’m missing out on so much incidental activity is one of the reasons I’m dying to get back once I’m allowed; because it is harder to force artificial exercise into your day than just doing it as part of the normal routine. You’ll either have to make more of an effort or go back to the office part of the week. I’m not sure it’s any more scientific than that.

You need to force yourself to do it for a while then it will become habit. In the first lockdown I got up late and did no exercise but now I set an alarm for 7am, do HIIT or similar from YouTube while kids eat breakfast and then sort their school bags then get in the shower then take them to school then log on. After repeating for a while it gets engrained!

Ps I find it helps me personally to realise how much more time I have had for my children. Some of my commute time was useful exercise, but it also came at the expense of more time for a reading book in the morning with DS etc. I'm actually happier having that time with the kids back, even if it means I simply have to eat less if I want to stay slim.

I've a bit of lockdown weight (about half a stone) and for me I think it's eating! I used to take lunch to the office and now I have what I like. It doesn't seem like a lot, but it's making a difference! Also, I drink earlier than I did when I was going to work. Guess I just have to sort a better and healthier food and drink routine.

I'm the same when WFH and finding it really hard to get back into a regular gym routine again. Even though it's really close to home it's easier to go when you're driving home from work than when you're already at home. I'm not a fan of the early morning thing but I've quite enjoyed going at lunchtime when work permits. Zoo. Classes just don't do it for me and I could weep at the prospect of another local run or walk! Could your son do after school club a couple of days a week so you have time to go after work before picking him up?

I know exactly what you mean. There was a lot of reasons I left my previous job which was a part time remote working job.. But I now work 5 days a week in a hospital and I absolutely love it. I'm a person of structure and routine and I get DD to Nursery before I set off for work so I know her routine depends on mine. I can work from home 2/3 days a week if I wanted to but I love my job and like being in with my colleagues.. I'll save my wfh days for when I have appointments etc.. But yes, I think you just need a bit more discipline. You could easily wakeup earlier and exercise. It's only you stopping yourself.

I’ve been wfh for a long time before Covid and before Covid the routine was easy. I would get up, get dd to school, stop by the local corner shop and pick myself up a healthy cheap breakfast (that this was available was so amazing) and then sit down and my desk and get to work. I could hit the treadmill over lunch.

Once Covid hit that routine stopped and it has been harder. Because of DH’s health status, Dd has been remote schooled since March 2020 and The corner shop breakfast isn’t an option.

I haven’t found the new touchstones to start my day. I’ve tried a few different things and nothing has really stuck. Dd will be returning to school soon and I think that will help.

I’ve bought a small side step exercise machine. Whenever I have a break in zoom training, I spend the 15 minutes on there. I also go to the gym for an hour each evening.
I’ve been terrible with my diet though this weekend. I need to do some serious work this week!

You just need to find a routine again!