Holiday Activities You Can Work into Your Work-from-Home Schedule

The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, but when it comes to errands and commitments, the stress can pile up. While this stress can be a reality of the holiday season, there are ways to make our lives easier, especially if we work from home. If we work from home, we can schedule time into our day to cook, clean, and run errands, and with the pandemic in full force, more of us will have this opportunity in the 2020 holiday season.

Cooking

Working from home doesn’t mean we have free reign over our daily schedule to do as we please, but it does mean we have the ability to complete tasks others can’t. By removing commuting time, WFHers are able to start dinner sooner, pick kids up from scheduled events, and begin to relax earlier than someone commuting to and from the office.

When it comes to food prep, WFhers have the advantage, too. We have time to create more meals from scratch and eat at our leisure. The same can be said about holiday cooking. WFH folk have a huge advantage since they are working in or near their kitchens. Even if you’re unable to cook during your workday, preheating the oven can start before your day ends! You can get up early and prepare cookie dough to chill in the fridge, use a scheduled lunch hour to run to the store so you don’t have to fight those weekend, evening, and holiday crowds, and while you eat breakfast, you can throw some ingredients in the crock pot for a great meal and watch it simmer safely throughout the day.

When it comes to the holidays, use your free time and WFH advantage to complete food/meal tasks others can’t. From shopping to meal prepping, you have the advantage. Use it wisely!

Shopping

While most of our shopping can be done online in 2020, there are always a few things we can’t get through the interwebs, especially when it comes to picking out thoughtful cards and grabbing those favorite items from local retailers. When we work from home, we have the ability to shop at times when others are in the office. If possible, work in an hour during your day to head out to the stores and pick up those essential holiday items. And hey, with no one looking over your shoulder, working from home can allow us to keep those shopping tabs open.

Just like meal prepping, we can schedule time to run to stores when they first open, beat the holiday rush, and get the essentials we need. If you can block off an hour a day for a week, you can get all your shopping done well before December!

Cleaning

Even when we are busy during the WFH day, we have a lot of flexibility when it comes to multi-tasking. And during the holiday season, the concept of multi-tasking can help you get your house ready for a family bash! Put on some headphones and mop the floors while you’re in a meeting, throw in a load of laundry between client calls, and clean out the fridge while you prepare lunch. Just like the other tasks listed above, use your breaks and free time to complete one chore per day. All of the little tasks will quickly add up to a clean home that’s ready for guests and lasting memories.

Giving Back

Whether you work for yourself or a big company, it’s important to remember that capitalism isn’t everything. During this holiday season, work in some time for yourself or your colleagues to give back to the community. Take a few scheduled hours to help at the local food pantry, promote a toy drive at the remote office, or donate to a shared cause in your area. It’s important to schedule in time to get all of your holiday errands done during the winter months, but it’s also important to give back to those in need. Schedule in some time to give back. Giving is what the holiday season is truly about.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your holiday season expectations. Separate out your needs, write down a schedule, and chip them away one by one as you work from the comfort of your home. The holidays can be a stressful time, but they don’t have to be. Add in chores to your workday and watch the holiday season unfold with merriment and fun.

Balancing the WFH lifestyle can be tricky at first, but when we work from home, we have more time to write our own narratives. If you’re feeling swamped with work or struggling to get your WFH business off the ground, reach out to The Storyteller Agency. From content to support, we are here to help!