How do you separate work and life?
Hi Ladies,
Wondering if I could pick your brains for a bit of advice/tips. I kinda feel like my work and life are just a mixed blur and there isn't any separation between my working life/hours/days and me and my life outside of work. I do suffer from agoraphobia so I don't get to get out of the house so that probably doesn't help.
I cam and work where I sit/chill/eat etc. I don't have set working hours or days and can either struggle to take days off or sometimes struggle to even log on. I feel I need a better balance so I am wondering.
What is it you do or can advice to have that better work life balance? Is it best to cam in a different location to where you spend your chill time? Do you have any kind of work schedule? It's so hard when you work from home (even though I have only ever worked from home) I never have been able to balance the two well.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
Having very specific days off where I turn off the computer helps a lot for me. I do things like clean, garden, shop, catch up on tv, go to the pool etc.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
naomi_doll
Having very specific days off where I turn off the computer helps a lot for me. I do things like clean, garden, shop, catch up on tv, go to the pool etc.
That sounds nice and relaxing. Do you have it set like you take Mondays off for example or just in that week you choose which days?
Re: How do you separate work and life?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
scarletl
That sounds nice and relaxing. Do you have it set like you take Mondays off for example or just in that week you choose which days?
I take Wednesdays and Fridays off. I only picked them because its days I already planned to do stuff at night (watch tv, play video games) with my dude. If something comes up like a contest I might change them, but I usually stick to those days.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
I have a fixed schedule and I also take 2 days per week off. Either friday and saturday, either saturday and sunday. ALWAYS.
In cam from my bedroom so, I only sleep and work there. In the rest of time time, I am in the living room. In the moment I turn off the computer, there's no work involved anymore. I am with my bf, going out with friends, we go out and eat, do grocery, go hiking, jogging, gym, play on console, read books, visit my family whatever.
So, set yourself a schedule and disconnect from camming, when you are in your off time. Of course, if there are stuff coming up, it's ok if you change the off days. But you got the point :)).
If you can, my advice would be to separate your camming space. Either that you do it in another room, or separate it with a panel (room divider, like the jappaneese ones). So you can have a bit of sense of camming vs chill space. It's not healthy over time, to mix them. You'll end up hating your own home.
I tell you from my own experience.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
It only works when you set a work schedule, your own personal and time out of the house.
Keep your agoraphobia alive will only make your mental health worst.
Basically, the same needs sims needs is the same you do yourself. the game only works well when all those needs are filled, if you have ever played you know what I mean.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
I recently started back up on having a solid yet flexible routine. I have a set chunk of time that I cam, 5-6 nights per week for at least 4.5 hours. I can usually realistically hit my minimum goals within this time frame which is why I set it up that way. The 6th night of work is optional, based on how the week is going. I start and end my cam shift at roughly the same time, have a bit of down time afterward for reading/relaxing and a snack, then aim to go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time every day. I give myself some leniency to work another hour or two if the night is going really well, which doesn't alter my sleep schedule too much. But if its slow, i just do my minimum hours and log off, even if i haven't made much money, as I'm usually able to make up for slow nights with above average nights that tend to happen at least few times a month. That always seems better for my mental health than trying to hustle and push through a super slow night. I set aside time in the late morning/early afternoon for yoga and catching up on housework/chores, then most of my day is open for whatever I want. I prep dinner and get ready for cam at the same time every evening. Then it starts back up the next day.
I have a separate area for camming which is in the biggest room of my house that I also use for exercise and crafts/hobbies, but those are in their own little "stations" in the room. I never eat or sleep or casually hang out in my cam area. I have a living room for that, and a separate bedroom for just sleeping. I also don't do any social media (camming or personal), which frees up a lot of time and energy, and doesn't make me feel like I'm constantly tied to work and other cam obligations. I also rarely leave the house except for grocery shopping and the occasional social outing. I find ways to productively occupy my alone time. Sticking with a set cam schedule while having relatively flexible daytime hours for my separate "me time" is what keeps me balanced and focused.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
How i seperate my work life from real life?
1. i don't work where i sleep.When i bought my home i got a place just for a cam office.
2.I make a schedule and i stick to it.
3.When im done with work ,im done.Unless im doing promotion via twitter or instagram .Which i never do.
4.I give myself 2 days off .Also i make the 2 days back to back.Ill take saturday and sunday off.
5. I choose one day out the week to make sure i get out and feel like im part of society.Camming can really turn you into a hermit/loner.
6. Once a month reward yourself with something small.A spa ,shopping,something nice for working all those hours.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
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Originally Posted by
bigbootyjudy1
How i seperate my work life from real life?
1. i don't work where i sleep.When i bought my home i got a place just for a cam office.
This is also my #1. I have a two br place and one room is for camming specifically. everything else is camming free. no dildos in rooms they don't belong, no camming lights, no camming clothes, nothing.
moving on:
2. I have a white board that's split into 3 sections called "Today, this week, this month" Filled with things that do not relate to camming. at the beginning of every month I fill out the "this month" section with things I need to do or achieve. some are serious (ie take dog to groomer, get oil changed, schedule dentist appointment) but some are fun (like go swimming, see a movie in theaters, go skiing, garden). every week I take at least one fun thing and one serious thing and move it to the "this week" list. the night before I plan on doing whatever it is, I move it to the "today" list along with my daily to do list. This ensures I get everything done, get out of the house at least a few times per week, and have fun at least a few times.
3. buy a second phone. Put all of your camming crap on one and everything else on the other. It's nice to leave the house, have some carefree time, and not look down to see a twitter notification from some buttmunch saying "u free bb?"
4. Get a dog if you can! I've found that having something to care for and keep myself busy with outside of camming has improved my mental state enormously. Instead of camming 8 hours straight, I am forced to take a break after 3 or so hours to let my dogs out or go for a walk. plus it gives you something to look forward to after camming even if your home is otherwise empty.
5. Have your agoraphobia treated. it will not get better from camming and staying home all day. i know it's scary af to do (I canceled 3 drs appointments in a row once because I was so in my head about leaving my home), but once you get it treated and maybe start therapy too, you will notice a night and day improvement in your general well being both on and off cam.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
You struggle to get on because you are surrounding your life in that one space. Psychologically your brain associates certain environments with things you do in them.
Designate one room for your "office", work space. Then set a schedule. 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday for example. This is not your actual camming schedule, but during those hours, you will stream, or work on other eggs.
You ONLY work in that room.
NO personal life interaction during those hours. No tv, youtube, reddit, or other distractions. Make a motivating playlist of music. (Make the playlist BEFORE your work hours, otherwise you've wasted an hour of your money time.)
BE ON TIME.
I have a friend who actually stamps her card using a business time clock, when she enters her office lol. It's pretty clever, because her mindset is focused on work at that point.
After 6pm, or whatever quit time you schedule, close your office door. You're finished. Don't read SW or other work related sites. Designate a 30 min break during your work schedule to check forums, email, etc. - and that's it.
*If you find yourself losing track of time with web browsing, forums, twitter, etc. cut browsing completely out of your schedule for 30-45 days. You'll be surprised at how much time is wasted on this.
*Texting, messaging and chatting with other people - another huge time drainer. Save it for your downtime hours.
That 8-6 example gives you 14 whole extra free hours to sleep, workout, and do whatever you want. Or schedule 6 hour day, or even 12 hour days. It's up to you.
The key is having scheduled downtime and off days to recharge. Having designated hours for downtime is SO important. Take care of you FIRST.
I manage multiple eggs, aside from camming now, so that has really kicked my ass in gear this year with self discipline.
** I know you mentioned that you are agoraphobic. Get treatment. But in the meantime, try to have one day per week where you "unplug". Turn your wifi, phone, computer and all electronics off for a day. Those electronics can drain you if you are around them consistently. Getting an hour of fresh air is healthy too. Make yourself go out for coffee or shop each day. Or just for a walk.
Buy some salt lamps and certain crystals.
I don't stay home much when not working, but if I was, I would definitely have an unplug day.
Hope that helps
Re: How do you separate work and life?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Cutie101
I have a fixed schedule and I also take 2 days per week off. Either friday and saturday, either saturday and sunday. ALWAYS.
Same.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
minniesoporno
Basically, the same needs sims needs is the same you do yourself. the game only works well when all those needs are filled, if you have ever played you know what I mean.
I played that game years ago, and never thought about it until you mentioned it. That's so true!!! That game teaches balance in a way.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
Wow thank you so much for all your advice. I really admire the self discipline you all have (I know it can be so hard to do). Today I am going to set a schedule for myself. Choose my working days/hours. Set up my new, out of the living room camming space. I actually do have one of those room dividers so I will make use of that. I will take the advice of getting a second phone, never thought of that. As I do call/text sites, I do find myself still doing this when it's "chill time".
I actually do have one dog...thinking of getting a second one soon.
I am going to be seeking help for the agoraphobia, it's something I did suffer with prior to camming but obviously camming makes it more "ok to stay at home" when I know really it isn't.
Re: How do you separate work and life?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Halo88
I played that game years ago, and never thought about it until you mentioned it. That's so true!!! That game teaches balance in a way.
I definitely know not having something out of the house that isn't connected to work on a regular basis will create problems.
you have the control to design your life the way you want it, there isn't a one size fits all, but yes looking at the sims needs and figuring out which one of those you need more often than the rest keeps you happy.
plus the definition they give you when you hover over them explains it too :)