9 Ways To 'Lean In' & Grab Opportunities When Working From Home
You got this.
getty Being a woman in the workplace is full of challenges. There are literally dozens of books written about how best to overcome the pressures of being a woman and also wanting to succeed professionally.
Sheryl Sandberg's book on the subject, Lean In, started a veritable workplace revolution. According to the Lean In Organization, in her book, "she shares her personal stories, uses research to shine a light on gender differences, and offers practical advice to help women achieve their goals. The book challenges us to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what we can do, and serves as a rallying cry for us to work together to create a more equal world."
But how do you "lean in" and achieve your goals when you work from home?
In a corporate environment, it's easy to prep yourself for a meeting with a high-powered executive, but it's less easy to prep yourself when you work from home and most of your social interaction is either in your head or it's on your computer screen.
Though some women are masters of how to work from home, there are others who may just be starting to. And with uncertain times right now causing a majority of people to stay home, we've got you covered.
Here's how to lean in... to working from home.
1. Wear your pajamas to work four days in a row.
Sure, wearing pajamas to work is the norm for folks who work from home, but it's time for you to up that ante. What's one day of dirty pajamas when you can have three, four, or even five?
2. Bond with the UPS man.
Learn his first name. It's the least you can do for the man who brings you your Amazon Prime and has probably seen you in your underwear.
3. Find new innovative places to store your snacks.
Like, inside the sports bra you're wearing, for instance. Bonus points: the butter in that day-old brownie is sure to deeply moisturize your skin.
4. Start workplace drama.
Especailly with your co-workers. And by co-workers I mean your cats.
Roll your eyes whenever their backs are turned. Mumble something rude under your breath. Send them passive-aggressive emails. Granted, that last one means creating email accounts for them if you haven't done so already.
5. Play a spirited game of "what's that smell?"
The smell is you. It's always you.
6. Forget how to speak to real people.
Really learn to relish that fell of abject panic when other people ask you challenging questions like, "hey, how are you?"
7. Check your email at 3 AM.
You've been awake for 48 hours anyway, so why not check your inbox to see if you've missed something crucial? You know the rest of your virtual office team will be doing exactly the same thing.
8. Embrace your diet.
Dipping pretzels into chocolate pudding and drinking from a bottle of ranch dressing isn't for everyone. But it's innovative, and innovation is the key to success.
9. Watch every internet video.
If you work from home and someone sends you a funny viral video, and your response is anything other than "seen it," you're working from home wrong.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.