Your ideal workday

Depending on where you live, you’re probably experiencing at least a little hope about COVID restrictions easing up and gradually moving towards our pre-pandemic reality.

We thought this would be a great time to think about our ideal workday/week, including which of the pandemic-related changes we’d like to keep and which we’ll happily toss aside when we’re able. With that in mind, we encourage you to set some time aside and visualize what an ideal workday or workweek would look like for you. For now, don’t think about what is and isn’t possible, the intention is to dream big!

As you begin to imagine your ideal workday, notice how your morning begins. What time do you get up and what does your morning routine look like before you head to work?

Think about what your journey to work would look like—perhaps you’d be driving to work or using some other form of transportation. Or perhaps you’re walking to work or working from your home, in which case just imagine yourself walking to your ideal home workspace.

As you reach your “office”, whether that be at home or elsewhere, imagine how it looks and how you feel as you enter the office. Are there co-workers in your space or are you working alone?

Now imagine moving through your work tasks. What types of activities are you doing? If you’re seeing clients, imagine what types of clients you’re seeing, the spacing between clients, and the number of clients you’re seeing in a day. Are you seeing all your clients virtually, all in-person, or a little of both?

Imagine how you’re making room for yourself during your day (e.g., work activities you enjoy, breaks that you find particularly restorative, etc.).

What’s your journey like back home, even if that’s just walking to another room in your home? What do you do to transition between work and home and how do you spend your evening until it’s time for bed? Who’s making supper, what are you eating, what do you do after supper, how do you wind down for bed, what time do you go to bed?

Really let yourself connect with the whole process of your day.

Once you’ve gone through this process, take a moment to reflect on any aspects of your ideal day that were particularly impactful or associated with positive feelings (e.g., sense of purpose, accomplishment, calm, rejuvenation, etc.). Ask yourself which of these are within your control, and how can you develop a plan to bring even one of these things, even if that means a slightly modified version, into your workday over the next few weeks?

The summer months might be the ideal time to work on a plan so that by the time September rolls around, you’ll already have incorporated one aspect (or more) of your ideal day into your schedule! Remember - you’re totally worth it!