I've been working from my home office since the winter of 2011. In Minnesota, it's pretty hard to complain about working from home in the wintertime and you won't get much sympathy from your fellow Minnesotans. For the first six months, it was awesome. I exercised every morning, worked hard, made a healthy lunch, sat on my deck sometimes for lunch, and never really had the problem of wanting to watch Ellen or The View. I was just fine-working from home. One day, I skipped the workout, ran out for fast food, and then the trickle down began. Skipped a shower, brushing teeth, all the things that you now hear everyone talking about. It's very hard to stay self-disciplined for a sustained period of time when the only person that sees you, is you.

It begins the process of not valuing your own opinion of yourself. And it emphasizes the value of seeing each other. When you are still in your pj's or sweats and it's 2:00, is it really worth taking a shower and putting on makeup? Yes, it is. And even if you are now furloughed, laid off, and looking for a job, it's even more important to drive your own self value by having a regimen and honoring your own appearance in that mirror.

I like what is happening and what I am hearing in that people are valuing what they “used to have” in each other and their office interactions. You really do have more of a sense of each other when in a collective space. Yes; we do Zoom or Webex meetings but in talking with candidates and clients, it's a common thread I am hearing that we all truly miss each other and human to human interaction.

For now, it's essential we are careful and cautious. And I think we are all learning that intrinsic value of seeing each other, feeling for each other, seeing a sad face or experiencing a loss, and not being in each other's presence. But most importantly, remember to see your “self” in that mirror and know that if you are working, it's important you maintain your own sense of your value and power in your business. And if you are looking for a job, more than ever, remember how great you are. And I say this in the nicest way I can; go brush your teeth. If you want to talk more about home office techniques and tips, email me at peggy.olson@thecarvercompanies.com.