Working From Home. Karen Mangia

the memes of the dad who ignores his kids, when he's on a video call? It's not a good look. Learn what great presenters and performers know: be in the room, first of all. Don't deny or ignore that enormous Maine Coon cat walking across your keyboard – we can see that thing and man, it's huge! But pet that cat and send it to friendlier confines, so that you can focus on what really matters.

       DON'T: Make missteps a habit. If you're going to broadcast with a beefy snoring bulldog as your background, you've got to realize that Mr. Snuggles's respiratory challenges are a massive distraction. You may find his sleep struggle charming, but is it professional? Plus, who wants to be upstaged by Mr. Snuggles's snoring? Part of claiming your space is letting pets, people, roommates, and others know what's what when it's time to work. Sure, life happens from time to time. Dogs can fall asleep almost anywhere. But when you make a habit out of letting interruptions rule your world, it's as if you just aren't aware of where you are. There's nothing charming or cute in lacking awareness. Tune your EQ to your surroundings and make sure you see what's going on around you. Because what you think is cute can be annoying – and repeatedly allowing the same goofs to appear makes you look unaware and uninformed. What can you do, or say, to help others understand what you need? And is there a place where Mr. Snuggles might feel more comfortable during the video call? (Word on the street is that Mr. Snuggles is a good boy – I bet he'll understand.)

      And if you really want to change the world, start off by making your bed.

That's what Admiral William H. McRaven (https://bit.ly/wfh-mcraven) told graduates at the University of Texas. It's a speech that still resonates – a reminder of how the small stuff can start you on the path to greatness. In a world where office boundaries have been shattered, time has been bent, and your home office environment matters more than ever, consider how his words might shape your context:

       Every morning in basic SEAL training, my instructors, who at the time were all Vietnam veterans, would show up in my barracks room and the first thing they would inspect was your bed. If you did it right, the corners would be square, the covers pulled tight, the pillow centered just under the headboard, and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the “rack” – that's Navy talk for bed.

       If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.

       And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made – that you made – and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

If you have a tough day at work, your space reminds you (like a well‐made bed) that tomorrow can be better. And you can shape your world, every day, to make it so. To make your space inspiring. To make your work world separate and special and productive. Take time to change out of your sweatpants and make your bed. These small steps can make a big impact – and build the context you need for success.