1457: Making Remote Working into Rewarding Work by Rosalyn Palmer on Career Success

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_00]: This is Optimal Work Daily, making Remote Working into Rewarding Work by Rosalyn Palmer of Rosalyn Palmer.com.

[00:00:09] [SPEAKER_00]: For a while, led by rather flashy digital nomads, the phrase remote working has been akin to taking two weeks in the south of France back in the 50s,

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_00]: something available only to the privileged few who have attained a lifestyle that lesser mortals can only aspire to.

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Here I am, screams the dreamy Instafoto as the vista across their laptop and glass of fresh juice scans across a misty mountain.

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Work isn't for me. No, not when I choose where to be. That's how the mantra goes.

[00:00:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, having tried it, this is true to a point. It is great to set your own boundaries and hours,

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_00]: and to respond to emails and clients and work stuff in your own time and in a place of your choosing.

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: However, having worked for an international charity, I can also vouch safe how frustrating it is when you're in an African country

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and the Wi-Fi goes at a speed so slow that the little worrying circle barely moves.

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_00]: When it takes two hours to send an email and you're being bitten by mosquitoes during the process,

[00:01:07] [SPEAKER_00]: also your time zone and availability window may not always dovetail with those you work with or for.

[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Now, working from home for the majority of my work and passions, I think fully have on the whole Great Wi-Fi,

[00:01:20] [SPEAKER_00]: plus a decent computer and a comfortable chair, plus a fantastic selection of teas and even a rather amazing view.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_00]: What I don't have is real connection. Those water cooler moments when you shoot the breeze and just take your mind away from the work you've been doing.

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_00]: The camaraderie, the support. Remote working is rather like a virus and unseen and often unsettling thing that creates dis-ease.

[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_00]: The sense of isolation can be crippling. I belong to several networking groups and while some serve as a marketplace for us to buy and sell our services to each other,

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_00]: many more are really a support network for me and others.

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Somewhere we can join with our tribe to be educated and entertained and throwing caution to the wind to just get a hug and some tea and sympathy or good advice.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_00]: We are basically tribal people and are well-being is tied to connection. The greatest punishment you can give to a person apart from something physical is to isolate them.

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_00]: In prison, this will be solitary confinement, a sailor marooned on an island, people sent into exile. It's all about disconnection.

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_00]: When I was head of marketing and communications for international charity, the leprosy mission, what I learned from traveling to remote places and meeting people was that however poor they are bound together in connection

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_00]: from the family, to the tribe, to the community. For people with leprosy, the most devastating thing about the disease often isn't the awful physical ailments,

[00:02:45] [SPEAKER_00]: but that they are driven out of their communities as people fear they will become infected.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Loneliness, living alone and poor social connections are as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness is worse for you than obesity.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Lonely people are more likely to suffer from dementia, heart disease and depression.

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Loneliness is likely to increase your risk of death by 29%.

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So, how do you connect? Especially if you're forced into quarantine or self-isolation.

[00:03:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, start with yourself. Come to know yourself, love yourself, feel that you're good enough and that perfection is just an airbrushed illusion.

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Take good care of yourself in a holistic way by nurturing your body with good food, your mind with positive thoughts and taking time out.

[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Into sleep at least seven hours a night. Take care of your body through exercise. I do yoga every day.

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_00]: There are a number of amazing free online classes, especially yoga by Adrian that you can follow.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Then connect to something greater than yourself, to God, to nature, to a faith that guides you.

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Connect to making the world a better place by being a conscious consumer.

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_00]: A friend of mine told me that recently her nine-year-old daughter decided not to spend her pocket money on a cheap item of clothing,

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00]: as she said, there must have been a price to pay for this money if it's so cheap.

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_00]: I am hardened by young people drawing attention to climate change. The future is theirs.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Finally connect to others as best you can. I've learned to be vulnerable and open to saying when I'm hurting or down or in need of help.

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_00]: It took a long time to master, but now I practice it daily. So here are my fab four antidotes to the virus of lonely home working.

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_00]: One find a tribe. A real one where you can actually go out and connect until we are all shut up in quarantine, then human connection is key.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Two, invest in systems. Have the best internet and computer and all the systems you can afford to invest in at your disposal to support you and free you from the frustration of trying to fix things on your own,

[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_00]: eating into your true gifts and offerings. Get support when you can afford it, shout out to my amazing assistant Lauren here.

[00:04:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Three, track your time. Make time for coffee and a chat, even virtual. I now have a virtual coffee several times a week with others.

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Don't lose time on sorting out the washing when you have a deadline to meet. Keep the household chores to household times just as you would if you went to work.

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Even commute in the morning by rising at the same time and taking a walk, perhaps to get a coffee, at the time you may have previously been hitting the freeway.

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_00]: And four, be transparent. Check in with yourself and if you are not enjoying it, then seek help for support or connection or even a new way of operating.

[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Give it time and establish your own routines, but always ask yourself if this is working for you, if not, adjust accordingly.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: There is enough uncertainty in the world, so create as much of what works for you in your own life now. I hope you found this helpful.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_00]: You just listen to the post titled, Making Remote Working Into Rewarding Work by Rosalind Palmer of Rosalind Palmer.com

[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_00]: This show is sponsored by Better Help. We're all marveled at how quickly kids learn and that sense of wonderment they have while doing it, but as adults sometimes we lose that curiosity.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, if there's something you've been wanting to learn, know that therapy can help you reconnect with your sense of wonder, because your back to school error can come at any age.

[00:06:18] [SPEAKER_00]: And make no mistake, therapy is for everyone. Whether or not you've been through significant trauma, therapy can be a great tool for setting boundaries, learning new skills, and ultimately becoming the best version of yourself.

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_00]: If you're thinking of starting therapy, give Better Help a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible and suited to your schedule.

[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge.

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Rediscover your curiosity with Better Help. Visit betterhelp.com-workdaly today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_00]: h-e-lp.com slash work daily.

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And let me take just a moment to tell you a little bit more about Rosalind Palmer today's author, she's an award-winning coach and advanced RTT therapist that's rapid transformational therapy developed by a very popular therapist, Marissa Pier, who Rosalind has met and was helped by.

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Come by her site to check out her books, coaching blog, resources. There's a whole lot there and I have her site linked in this episode's description.

[00:07:24] [SPEAKER_00]: That's Rosalind Palmer.com-r-o-s-a-l-y-n-p-a-l-m-e-r.com. And thanks so much to her for giving us permission to narrate her articles.

[00:07:35] [SPEAKER_00]: But that's going to do it for me today. I thank you so much for being here and being a subscriber to the show. Have a great rest of your day and I will see you back here tomorrow where you're optimal life awaits.