An Organised Life founder Beck Wadworth is no stranger to pandemic barriers when it comes to running her global business. Having just launched the brand’s 2022 campaign—and a chic new beige colourway alongside it—we check in with Wadworth to see how she keeps well both physically and mentally, all the while running her business in the middle of a lockdown. Wadworth, who lives in Auckland but has a Sydney-based business, shares her tips and tricks for staying creative, motivated, and kind to yourself while at home.

During unsettling times it’s easy for life to feel a bit off-balance, especially when it’s out of our control. Identifying this and taking the time to reflect is the first step forward. When one area of life is unbalanced, it’s important to lean on those other areas for strength. Now more than ever, it’s important to take the time for self-care, loved ones, health and wellbeing etc.

I always try to look for the positives in a situation. Something that I enjoy about lockdown is being able to switch up my routine—it can have a variety of positive effects on my mindset, day and lockdown experience in general.

For me it’s all about communicating with loved ones daily—via Facetime, phone calls or my family group chat, sending each other photos and updates. I think being separated from loved ones is one of the hardest things about lockdown but I’m so grateful for modern technology. I’ve also been making sure I get outside for fresh air daily. It’s so important to move your body and get out of the house. I try to change up the time daily so it breaks up my routine. At-home pilates has also been another go-to of mine, even just for 15-20 minutes. In terms of other self-care rituals—I love baths, screen-free evenings, cooking, and taking the time to journal. I’ve also been enjoying the An Organised Life 30 Day Challenge—which has been a welcome distraction.

There are definitely pros and cons to working from home. I’ve worked from home for over four years now and have been separated from the team in Sydney for the last three. And with border restrictions thrown in, I’ve sadly only been able to see them twice in person over the last 18 months. With all those challenges thrown in, we’ve still been reaching our goals and launching new projects and products to the highest standard yet.

In terms of working from home personally, below are my top tips for working productively:

1. Create a morning routine and stick to it! It can be different to your normal routine at the office, but creating a morning routine creates structure, direction, and focus for your day.
   
   
2. Create a dedicated workspace and set rules with those in your space. It doesn’t have to be a full on home office, but set up a wee corner or a space on your dining table that you can pack down easily in the evenings. There are no rules, but having a dedicated space you can go to everyday will help you with your daily routine too. If you live with others or if there are multiple people working from the same space at home, make sure you set some ground rules so you can all be as productive as possible.
   
   
3. Utilise a to-do list and prioritise it. My top tip for organising your life, especially when working from home, is to create and utilise a daily to-do list. Jot down every single thing you need to do and prioritise your workload in a methodical way. This allows you to put everything into perspective, immediately reducing your stress levels and giving you a structured way to get through your workload. I love the satisfying feeling of ticking off each task throughout the day too! Make sure you also prioritise your to-do list everyday with a system that works for you (more on this here)—maybe it’s colour coding or it could be utilising symbols. Define your x 3 MITs (Most Important Tasks) and focus on these first, while your brain is feeling fresh.
   
   
4. Work in time blocks and schedule breaks. One of the positives of working from home is that it does give you the flexibility to be able to do more of what you love rather than just being at the office 9-5 pm straight. If you want to stop for a long lunch, or a midday walk or a coffee/Facetime break with loved ones then you can do this. Just make sure you have divided your day into time blocks to ensure you get everything done. If you don’t have anything specific to stop for, utilising time blocks is still helpful especially for scheduling proper breaks.
   
   
5. Stay hydrated and get fresh air when you need it. It’s that simple!
   
   
6. Wind Down. At the end of the working day, create a wind down routine. I suggest finishing up any outstanding emails, tidying your space (or putting it away if you’re in a common area of your home—that’s important!), checking your diary, and writing your to-do list for the following day. Switch everything off and walk away. It’s important to wind down and then transition back into your personal home life.

Make the most of your own productive time blocks and also make the most of the time saved from not commuting. Spend time with your family making a beautiful breakfast in the morning, go for a walk at midday when the sun is out and soak up that Vitamin D, start work early and finish early so you can have some time to wind down, cook and call loved ones. Do what’s right for you and find those things that fill up your cup and bring your life balance and joy. You’ll notice the benefits and more than often, naturally, you’ll end up feeling motivated, creative and productive when you are in work mode. Be kind to yourself, find the positive distractions and embrace your loved ones, tasks & other things that fill your cup.

Wellness to me is prioritising your health mentally and physically, and for the last 2 years this has been a huge focus for me. Prior to that I experienced burnout and was always sick with a very weak immune system. Work was my life. I had to make a change and find balance—as a result, I feel happier and healthier for it. Personally, I think about all the different aspects of my life evenly now. I aim to put the same amount of energy and effort into myself and my health/wellbeing as I do with my relationships and work. It’s something I’m constantly working on.