How to Make Your Remote Work Situation More Hi Def
Ever since my days in elementary school, I can remember wanting to have an enjoyable work environment around me. At that time that meant a clean, organized desk with little features that sparked joy (can recall specific pencils and erasers I loved that had a preferred position at the front of my desk). This progressed into desk areas I loved creating at home, in my dorm, through corporate, grown-up jobs, and now into home office spaces I delight in.
With the current landscape of most people being able to work remotely, entrepreneurs needing to create their own workspaces and schedules, and the freedom of the internet, we fortunately have so many more options to choose from when it comes to where we spend the majority of our day working.
An aesthetically pleasing, or energetically inspiring workplace may not be a priority for everyone, but for me, it makes a huge difference. Your Human Design might actually influence your workplace preferences too, such as if you’re a Reflector or a really open Projector that’s impacted by the energetics of the space around you. Or if you’re a Generator or MG and can be energized and excited by being in an environment that lights you up. Or if you need to switch up your workplace often depending on your Arrows or your Profile. Knowing these elements of your chart can be helpful in eliminating some of the guesswork of planning out your week, but to keep things simple, I always say revert to doing what feels best for you at any given moment.
Since we’re here to try to make every corner of our lives hi def, here’s a rough list of tips - some Human Design-related and some not - to help upgrade your remote work situation and give you ideas to make it as enjoyable and aligned to who you are as possible:
Work somewhere unexpected. Instead of resorting to your local coffee shop, think of someplace that makes you happy that you wouldn’t usually work from and head there. For example, I love working at restaurants or pretty bars during the day while it’s not as crowded. Makes me feel French. I also recently worked from Disneyland for the day (in between rides) since I have a pass, and it was the most fun thing ever. Working by my favorite pools is also v hi def for me. Even going to a park or a library or somewhere different than an office or coffee shop can spark extra creative juices.
Choose a place / surroundings that inspire you or spark joy. A few years ago I finally made it to a coffee shop I had been dying to visit thanks to photos I’d seen (it’s a little farther away from my normal, local spots), and I was so delighted by all the design details the first time I went I swear I wrote like 5 new blog posts that day. I proceeded to go back day after day, despite the drive, because of how happy it made me. So don’t hesitate to indulge in letting yourself work from a spot that excites all your senses.
Have a beverage or food that makes you happy while you work. I’m a treat gal through and through. If I have a delicious beverage in a pretty glass near me when I’m working, I’m at least 26% more productive and for sure 68% happier. So even being a little mindful about having some fun sparkling waters on hand or choosing a container that makes you happy to drink from can boost the vibes (pro-tip to sign up for the new Hi*Def Digest monthly newsletter coming soon - the first installment is all about hi def beverage tips ;)
Plan your day out ahead of time. This is especially for people who run their own business, or have more flexibility in their schedules/work. When I’m clear on what I’m needing to work on the next day, where I plan to work from, even what I plan to wear, I literally go to bed excited. When I wake up with no clear plan and a loose to-do list, I feel floaty and overwhelmed and I don’t get nearly as much done or have as much fun. If you do well with details (such as those with their top left arrow pointing left on their chart), get incredibly detailed with your day (think: Monday Hour One status), and if you just need a rough overview of your goals or things you want to do, then even having a couple things planned out ahead of time will be enough for you
For Generators / MGs: have a note in your phone with different work locations so you can read through it like a menu and respond to which option feels best to you. This eliminates the struggle of trying to come up with an idea or location out of thin air since this is something that’s typically more difficult for you
Projectors / Reflectors: be mindful of the spaces you put yourself in and make sure the energy is one that is calm and peaceful for you (or energizing and exciting if that’s what you’re needing). The goal is to feel good and healthy in your environment and to protect yourself from getting overwhelmed by too much excess energy that’s not right for you
People with 2’s in their Profile: you might need to have a designated personal work space for the times you’re doing deep work as a place to retreat and feel cozy and comfortable in
People with 4’s in their Profile: it’s probably to your benefit to build in some collaborative / social time into your work week. Whether that’s working remotely with friends, joining a co-working space, scheduling group brainstorms with like-minded people, having work chats over happy hour, or working in-person with your team when you can, this will be helpful for your communal nature and will open up more doors for opportunities for you
People with open Root Centers: if it’s harder for you to self-motivate or stay on track with your work, putting yourself in an environment where you’re around the energy of other people working and being motivated will help you do the same. For me this means working from a co-working space a few days a week instead of trying to self-motivate from the comfort of my (distracting) home
Check your Arrows. If the bottom left arrow on your chart (the Environment arrow) points to the left, consistency in where you work from might feel good for you. Knowing what to predict and where all your things are is most likely supportive and comforting to you. If it points to the right, then you’ll benefit from changing up your work environment and trying out new and different things
Hope those give you some fun and sparkly ideas for improving your work days. Give yourself permission to enjoy every single aspect of your life. Find delight in the things you maybe have been led to believe are meant to be boring and mundane. Treat yourself. Dream big. Throw out the rules. Create a life you love to live in.
