As we ease into 2022 (and we mean ease), many of us are still working from home, and are settling in for the long haul. It’s not hard to get stuck in a routine of sitting at your desk and staring at a screen, so we came up with these simple 2022 work-from-home resolutions to help you achieve better harmony between your work and your life, which are now so undeniably intertwined.

We think these resolutions are fun and super achievable. They’re also hyperlocal. So, while you may be part of virtual teams, you’ll still be able to engage in the Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace communities, maybe even more now that you’re working from home than when you had a longer commute. 

Start Your Day Like You Used To

Remember life before cell phone alarms? There’s so much to be said for an analog wakeup. We love this twin bell alarm clock that comes in four different colors. We’d much rather wake up and stretch than feel like our unread emails are a few app taps away like we do when we use our phones as our alarms. Target in Lynnwood or a local drug or hardware store (ACE Hardware lists clocks for curbside pickup on their website!) usually has a few options, too. Almost all of the stores we’ll mention are offering curbside pickup, so just call it in, pull up to a short-term parking spot, and be on your way to decreased screen time!

Make Screen Time Intentional

Speaking of screen time, working from home has created fewer boundaries between work and home. How many times have you walked by your work area at home on your way to do something else and thought, “Hmmm, maybe I’ll just get ahead of that work thing now. You know, since I’m here.” Trust us—we understand the urge. Because we’ve found ourselves staring at our screens during more times of the day and in different lights, we got ourselves multiple pairs of blue light glasses. There are certainly pros to getting your work done on your own time, but it can lead to eye strain. Add your favorite pair to your next Target run, grab a set of two from Amazon, or pick some up next time you head over to Costco or the drug store down the street.

Beyond the glasses, making your screen time intentional is essential. Many phones and apps allow you to set limits on their usage. You can also work in time blocks and on one thing at a time. Give yourself two half-hour timeframes to read and respond to emails per day, for example. Another thing to consider is managing your to-dos by adding blocks of time to your calendar with the title of what you’re working on. That way, you keep yourself organized and can check everything off.  

Move Your Body

Speaking of checking things off and managing your screen time, moving your body should absolutely be added to your calendar. If you don’t have a Peleton or The Mirror, or you do but you want to change things up, there are so many places in Edmonds and Lynnwood where you can safely schedule a time to move your body. Harbor Square, Barre3, Beyond The Barre, Twist Yoga, classes at Frances Anderson Center, and more offer countless ways to get your blood flowing in Edmonds. Orange Theory, The Lynnwood Recreation Center, and Yoga Sanctuary in Lynnwood all offer in-person and streaming classes. So does the City of Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion.

Remember, too, that moving doesn’t have to cost money! You can take yourself on a lunch walk in the woods or on a local trail. We like South County Park, Yost Park, Meadowdale Beach Park, and strolling along the Edmonds Waterfront. A favorite in Mountlake Terrace is Terrace Creek Park. 

Change Up Lunch

Just like you can use your “lunch hour” to get your body moving, it’s also a good time to find a new, local place to get a bite to eat. We love the lunch special and selections at Furi Chinese in Edmonds, and tasty gyros at One Stop in Lynnwood. There is what feels like an endless strip of fantastic POC-owned restaurants along Highway 99 in Edmonds (near both Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace) all with great takeout. Szechuan Cuisine or Thai Amorn in Mountlake Terrace are also popular. Many local parents with young kids are opting to take their meals at one of downtown Edmonds’s heated, open-air streateries as well. If you’re like us, your one lunch out this week could give you leftovers for the next day! Furi leftovers are particularly enjoyable a day later.

Refresh Your Space

It’s important to be comfortable and to feel productive in your at-home workspace. While some of us may still spend a good amount of time working from the couch or at the dining room table, many in Edmonds and Lynnwood are lucky enough to have full offices or desks to get work done. Head back over to HouseWares, Boutique Rogue, or Good Vibes Apothecary to pick up a few nice-smelling items to refresh your space. Get a diffuser going with oils that help with productivity or energy (trust us!). Even a pretty new stapler or framed photo can make your space feel fresh. 

Add A Natural Energy Booster

We love a natural energy booster, whether through daily vitamins, tinctures, a rare dose of direct Vitamin D through Pacific Northwest winter sunlight, or drinks! Coffee is a given, but we’ve recently gotten into milk teas like the energizing options at Pochi Bubble Tea and Mustache Milk Tea in Lynnwood. If you’re looking to keep some grab-and-go supply in your fridge, pick up a case of Hunniwater #FitKind from their website or at one of the many local retailers that carry it. 

Clock Out

If we’ve learned anything from working at home, it’s that your work is always right next to you. Stepping away can be difficult. For your own sanity, though, it’s important to clock out and spend time with your family, friends, as well as on self-care. That Netflix true-crime documentary really can make you a better employee, business owner or freelancer. Why? Because it fills a different part of you. We’re all multi-faceted and need to fill up the parts of us that can get depleted from meetings and screens and other people’s needs all day. Pick a schedule that works for you and make sure you’re giving yourself big blocks of time to give back to yourself—through play, hobbies, and R&R.

Here’s to a happy, productive, and balanced 2022. If you implement any of these tips, be sure to leave a comment letting us know!

— By Emilie Given and Whitney Popa

Emilie Given is a virtual assistant agency owner in Lynnwood, and Whitney Popa is a writer and communications consultant in Edmonds. They write this column together to share work-from-home ideas. They love where they live and are grateful the virtual world allows them to achieve more work/life harmony. They also co-host a weekly podcast where they share their entrepreneurship journeys while learning about those of others. You can learn more about Emilie here and more about Whitney here.