Rainy days make many people want to stay at home, wrapped in a blanket, drinking a warm beverage. But the world does not stop because of a thunderstorm or grey skies. So how can you keep working when the weather is less than perfect?
Add Color and Light to the Day
You can add color to your space with a bright poster or computer background. You can also choose brightly colored clothing or accessories for days when the color has faded from the sky. Even a colorful umbrella, or jacket, or a pair of rain boots with a fun pattern can help lift your mood. If that still isn’t enough, you can buy fresh flowers for your workspace or even set some bouquets around your home.
Bad weather can drain light from the day as much as it drains color. Placing some candles around your workspace or home is an easy way to add soft light, and if the candles are scented they can add another element to the space. If it is not allowed or not safe to have real candles, try electric ones or small desk lamps. Some electric candles even flicker like real flames or give off a soft scent.
Get up and Move
Playing energetic music can bring the energy up in a lot of situations. On a gloomy day, it can keep you motivated and focused rather than drowsy. If you have the space, you could get up and do some stretches or even a little dancing. Unless the weather is dangerous, you could even go for a short walk outside and get a little fresh air.
Get Organized
No matter how much you change your surroundings, a bad weather day generally translates to lower energy. That makes it the perfect time to clean out an overflowing inbox, reorganize your filing cabinet, or catch up on reading. Getting these tasks out of the way when you’re low on motivation is the perfect way to pass the time when it’s hard to stay focused.
If you don’t have much ‘busy work’ on your plate, you should start the day off by creating an organized to do list with other easy tasks. As the day goes on, checking items off the list can help motivate you to keep on moving along.
Once you’re home, slip into pajamas early, make yourself some hot cocoa, and enjoy a book or movie you’ve been neglecting for far too long while the rain makes for a relaxing backdrop.