Life at Lendi profile: Andrea McDowell’s working from home experience

This week marks exactly three months since I packed up my desk and stepped into work from home mode. Like many others, I was unsure of when we would return and what this experience would entail.

Three months later, I have found a great rhythm and learnt a huge amount about the importance of self-awareness and routines. I’ve also seen how important a culture of connection is.

The team at Lendi have done an incredible job at fostering connection through live-steams with our Executive team, virtual coffees, a thriving facebook group, competitions and more! Below I’ve outlined my reflections and learnings.

1. Your workspace

Working from home is a deeply unique experience for everyone. We have a wide range of these experiences within the wider Lendi team. From people who are working from home with children, others with flatmates, some with pets and others who are working from home alone. It’s been great to see how Lendi has celebrated everyone’s unique experience and provided individuals with the flexibility to make their unique situation work for them.

My biggest challenge was finding an appropriate workspace. I live in a sharehouse with quite a few flatmates. After three weeks of rotating between the couch and dining room table, where there were unlimited (and sometimes unwelcome) distractions, I soon realised that I was going to need to set up a workstation in a space where I was in control of my surroundings.

Creating a suitable space maximises productivity, allows you to step into your genius zone (the zone where you do what you’re best at), and above all, ensures that your working space is a space that you enjoy being in.

For me, this meant purchasing a desk, installing my second screen and I even bought myself a new coffee mug! My workspace is nothing fancy, but I’ve made it truly mine and it’s a space that I enjoy being in.

2. Routines and rhythms

My morning routine has been my saving grace. During the first few weeks of working from home, there were a couple of days where I did not leave the house between waking up and opening my laptop. On those days, I was foggy-headed, unproductive and above all, I did not enjoy the day!

Since then, leaving the house before I open my laptop has become a non-negotiable. Whether it’s for an ocean swim or simply a short walk around the block.

Many teams at Lendi have booked in daily morning kick-offs. These kick-offs provide great consistency, connection and banter. They are also a great opportunity to reflect on the previous day and plan the day ahead. Routines do not need to be grandiose and out of this world. A good routine is one that is accessible, easily maintained and suits everyone involved.

3. Take a break!

Blocking out breaks in my calendar has provided me with the opportunity to look away from my screen, enjoy my lunch, and visit my local cafe. This practice provides me with the ‘mini reset’ that I need to refocus and set myself up for the next task at hand.

Taking breaks does not just apply to your daily routine. Just because restrictions are in place and travel plans are off the cards (I’m actually meant to be in Peru right now!), it does not mean that we can’t use our annual leave. I took a week of annual leave whilst working from home and it was great. I returned to work feeling refreshed, grounded and energised.

4. Creating a third-space

There is a concept called the ‘third-space’ which is the time between two different tasks. For many of us, this used to be our daily commute, walking from one meeting to another and having a chat with someone in the kitchen.

Today, these third-spaces no longer fall into our day-to-day routines. Rather, we need to intentionally create them. Again it’s about finding what works for you.

The last three months have flown by and working from home has changed the way we work forever. It’s provided us with a great opportunity to increase our levels of self-awareness and productivity.

I’ve worked hard to reflect on the challenging days, learn from them and self-correct where possible. Beyond that, I’ve also worked to share my learnings with others through Lendi Live TV and conversations.

I’ve also assessed the days where I’ve been productive, happy and focussed to ensure that I understand and maintain the practices that enabled me to enter into that state.

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