Coined in 2000, it’s trending again—WFH, “working from home.” For years, Big Business has replaced leisurely language with speed-talking code. As in “FYI, the CEO wants the YTD P&L ASAP!” Now, as many offices remain closed, the busyness of business-speak has followed us home.

Soon we’ll be talking about doing WTMW (way too much work) from our HSHO (home, sweet home office). We’ll care for BFMs & APs (beloved family members and adorable pets) while managing the NEHC (never-ending household chores). But before we get to the PONR (point of no return), let’s consider a different kind of WFH—Wisdom From History.

Long ago, every culture “created shareable content” in the form of proverbs. Somehow our pre-Internet ancestors “forwarded” these proverbs around the world. These global memos covered every topic—including work—in witty language that still hits home. And gee, since we’re home anyway, working, it’s only logical that we give their insights on that subject a fresh look.

Oh, I see: Old proverbs from around the world have new relevance for employees who are working from home. Here are some favorites. (And for those of you who miss viewing cute cat pictures at the office, we’ve got you covered.)

Rise ‘n ~~Shine~~ Get Online!

My search for proverbs extolling the benefits of sleeping late prompted a rude awakening: “Opportunity does not wake up those who are asleep” (Senegalese), “The hungry fowl wakes early” (Jamaican), “The world belongs to early risers” (French).

Fortunately, an Italian proverb notes that, “Those with a reputation for rising early may sleep until noon.” Aha! An early example of establishing your brand while building in downtime. My favorite? “Good luck beats early rising,” the traditional Irish equivalent of hitting the snooze alarm in hopes that you’ve won the lottery.

But as the Albanian proverb says, “If your neighbor is an early riser, you too will become one,” a sentiment to which every WFH apartment dweller can relate. So rise, if not shine, and do as the Sicilians do—”Drink coffee while it’s hot enough to swear.”

Business Casual, Fashion Casualty

In France, there’s a saying for when you put a button in the wrong buttonhole: boutonner lundi avec mardi, literally, “to button Monday with Tuesday.” Working from home during a pandemic, many of us mix up our days—Blursday? Whenday? Whyday?—and our office attire, too.

Oh, we still maintain standards. Like dressing up for a Zoom meeting by adding a tailored blazer to a clean (well, cleanish) pajama top. OK, OK, we make “casual Fridays” at the office seem like New York’s fashion gala at the Met.

But as the Spanish proverb reminds us, “A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey,” so hey, let’s not confuse looking professional with being professional. On the other hand, “No skunk ever smells its own stink,” said the Thai. While they were probably referring to misdeeds, it’s a useful reminder that taking a shower should occur more frequently than the quarterly reports.

Corner Office, Meet Kitchen Corner

Working from home means adapting. Office equipment? Supply cabinets laden with tempting piles of binder clips? Gone!

Ergonomic seating? Hah! Never have so many dining room chairs caused so much discomfort to so many for so long. Numb Bum Syndrome is no laughing matter, people, so don’t make us the butt of your jokes.

Still, “A good plowman”—or in corporate parlance, Managing Director of Plowable Assets—”can plow even with a goose,” according to Lithuanian folk wisdom. Which is why, come Online Meeting Time, we oh-so-professionally place our laptops on a stack of cookbooks, shove the dirty dishes out of view, and quickly run the nearest salad fork through our hair.

A Zoom of One’s Own

According to ancient Chinese wisdom, “two tigers cannot share one mountain.” Likewise, two or more family members cannot always share one WiFi. One parent’s in a meeting, the other’s doing a tele-med consult with a patient, the kids are logging on for school, Grandma’s on TikTok, and the dog’s tracking device is updating your app about which part of the yard he’s digging up.

Who knew that one day we’d miss the IT manager, the same grouch who answered every request with, “Are you sure the computer’s plugged in?”

Power Naps and Proverbs

When working from home, staying focused can be challenging. Especially at times when, as German folk wisdom says, “The misery is that you have to ruin your day with work.” Like sunny days. Or rainy, snowy, windy, foggy, or other days. As Anonymous once sighed, “Whoever invented work must not have had anything else to do.”

For procrastinators, “Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week” (Spain). You might justify that power nap by reminding your Significant Other that “The pillow is the best advisor” (Sweden). See? You’re not being lazy—you’re seeking council and gaining clarity! Why it’s practically a corporate retreat!

However, your S.O. may counter with an old Turkish saying: “Without effort, there is no food.” Hard to argue with that . . .

So you might as well get started. Work smarter, not harder, or as the Kashmiri once said, “Try to benefit enormously from small efforts.” Take breaks, but remember, “A person always breaking off from work never finishes anything” (Nigeria). Instead, “Put a stout heart to a stey brae (steep hill),” (Scotland), because “Money grows on the tree of persistence” (Japan).

Don’t rush: “A work ill done must be done twice” (Wales). And if a new task intimidates you, remember: “The work will teach you how to do it” (Estonia).

Our Ancestors Meant Business

In summary, as you adapt to working from home, employ the new wisdom in old proverbs from around the world: Be gracious to WFH colleagues in remote locations, because “Over a distance of a thousand miles, only humanity works, not power” (Chinese). A far-flung but networked team can work wonders. After all, “When spiderwebs unite, they can tie up a lion” (Ethiopia).

Oh, and one more thing. When working from home, NEVER, EVER confuse your boss’s Zoom Check-In with your buddy’s Zoom Happy Hour. As the old German proverb says, “Schnapps is schnapps, business is business.” Cheers!

More WFH humor: See BBC News interview an expert working from home, here. Then watch the New Zealand parody, here.

They worked like dogs—the boss conducted their performance review on Zoom! Watch here.

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

$\"A$

It’s “Take Your Kids to Work Day”! Every . . . single . . . day.
\u00a9 doble-d<\/span><\/a>\/<\/span> iStock<\/p><\/div>\n

Old Sayings for New Work Habits<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Coined in 2000, it\u2019s trending again\u2014WFH, “working from home.” For years, Big Business has replaced leisurely language with speed-talking code. As in “FYI, the CEO wants the YTD P&L ASAP!\u201d Now, as many offices remain closed, the busyness of business-speak has followed us home.<\/p>\n
Soon we’ll be talking about doing WTMW (way too much work) from our HSHO (home, sweet home office). We\u2019ll care for BFMs & APs (beloved family members and adorable pets) while managing the NEHC (never-ending household chores). But before we get to the PONR (point of no return), let’s consider a different kind of WFH\u2014Wisdom From History.<\/p>\n
Long ago, every culture “created shareable content” in the form of proverbs.\u00a0 Somehow our pre-Internet ancestors “forwarded” these proverbs around the world. These global memos covered every topic\u2014including work\u2014in witty language that still hits home. And gee, since we’re home anyway, working, it’s only logical<\/em> that we give their insights on that subject a fresh look.<\/p>\n
Oh, I see:<\/strong> Old proverbs from around the world have new relevance for employees who are working from home. Here are some favorites. (And for those of you who miss viewing cute cat pictures at the office, we’ve got you covered.)<\/p>\n
$\"Kittens$ Ah, to be out of the cubicle, with no supervisor breathing down one’s neck…
guvo59<\/a><\/span>\/ Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n
Rise ‘n Shine<\/del>\u00a0Get Online!<\/em>
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
My search for proverbs extolling the benefits of sleeping late prompted a rude awakening: \u201cOpportunity does not wake up those who are asleep\u201d (Senegalese), \u201cThe hungry fowl wakes early\u201d (Jamaican), \u201cThe world belongs to early risers\u201d (French).<\/p>\n
Fortunately, an Italian proverb notes that, \u201cThose with a reputation<\/em> for rising early may sleep until noon.\u201d Aha! An early example of establishing your brand while building in downtime. My favorite? \u201cGood luck beats early rising,\u201d the traditional Irish equivalent of hitting the snooze alarm in hopes that you\u2019ve won the lottery.<\/p>\n
But as the Albanian proverb says, \u201cIf your neighbor is an early riser, you too will become one,\u201d a sentiment to which every WFH apartment dweller can relate. So rise, if not shine, and do as the Sicilians do\u2014”Drink coffee while it’s hot enough to swear.”<\/p>\n
$\"A$ Historically, work began with tools. For WFH, this means coffee.
quinntheislander<\/a><\/span>\/ Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n
Business Casual, Fashion Casualty
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
In France, there\u2019s a saying for when you put a button in the wrong buttonhole: boutonner lundi avec mardi, <\/em>literally, \u201cto button Monday with Tuesday.\u201d Working from home during a pandemic, many of us mix up our days\u2014Blursday? Whenday? Whyday?<\/em>\u2014and our office attire, too.<\/p>\n
Oh, we still maintain standards. Like dressing up for a Zoom meeting by adding a tailored blazer to a clean (well, cleanish) <\/em>pajama top. OK, OK, we make \u201ccasual Fridays\u201d at the office seem like New York\u2019s fashion gala at the Met.<\/p>\n
$\"Clogs$
“Do these socks make me look too formal?”<\/p><\/div>\n
But as the Spanish proverb reminds us, \u201cA monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey,\u201d so hey, let\u2019s not confuse looking<\/em> professional with being<\/em> professional. On the other hand, \u201cNo skunk ever smells its own stink,\u201d said the Thai. While they were probably referring to misdeeds, it\u2019s a useful reminder that taking a shower should occur more frequently than the quarterly reports.<\/p>\n
Corner Office, Meet Kitchen Corner<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Working from home means adapting. Office equipment? Supply cabinets laden with tempting piles of binder clips? Gone!<\/p>\n
Ergonomic seating? Hah! Never have so many dining room chairs caused so much discomfort to so many for so long. Numb Bum Syndrome is no laughing matter, people, so don\u2019t make us the butt of your jokes.<\/p>\n
Still, \u201cA good plowman\u201d\u2014or in corporate parlance, Managing Director of Plowable Assets\u2014”can plow even with a goose,\u201d according to Lithuanian folk wisdom. Which is why, come Online Meeting Time, we oh-so-professionally place our laptops on a stack of cookbooks, shove the dirty dishes out of view, and quickly run the nearest salad fork through our hair.<\/p>\n
$\"Paperwork$
“Has anyone seen the dining room table? I can’t find it anywhere.”
stevepb<\/a>\/ Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n
A Zoom of One\u2019s Own<\/strong><\/h4>\n
According to ancient Chinese wisdom, \u201ctwo tigers cannot share one mountain.\u201d Likewise, two or more family members cannot always share one WiFi. One parent\u2019s in a meeting, the other\u2019s doing a tele-med consult with a patient, the kids are logging on for school, Grandma\u2019s on TikTok, and the dog\u2019s tracking device is updating your app about which part of the yard he\u2019s digging up.<\/p>\n
Who knew that one day we\u2019d miss the IT manager, the same grouch who answered every request with, \u201cAre you sure the computer\u2019s plugged in?\u201d<\/p>\n
$\"Contrasting$
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 1990s:<\/strong> WFH conference by phone. (L) \u00a0 \u00a02020:<\/strong> WFH conference on Zoom. (R)\u00a0
photosforyou<\/a><\/span>\/Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n
Power Naps and Proverbs<\/strong><\/h4>\n
When working from home, staying focused can be challenging. Especially at times when, as German folk wisdom says, \u201cThe misery is that you have to ruin your day with work.\u201d Like sunny days. Or rainy, snowy, windy, foggy, or other days. As Anonymous once sighed, \u201cWhoever invented work must not have had anything else to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
For procrastinators, \u201cTomorrow is often the busiest day of the week\u201d (Spain). You might justify that power nap by reminding your Significant Other that \u201cThe pillow is the best advisor\u201d (Sweden). See? You\u2019re not being lazy\u2014you\u2019re seeking council and gaining clarity! Why it\u2019s practically a corporate retreat!<\/em><\/p>\n
However, your S.O. may counter with an old Turkish saying: \u201cWithout effort, there is no food.\u201d Hard to argue with that . . .<\/p>\n
$\"A$ . . .especially when you\u2019re the one who ate all the snacks.
skorchanov<\/a><\/span>\/ Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n
So you might as well get started. Work smarter, not harder, or as the Kashmiri once said, \u201cTry to benefit enormously from small efforts.\u201d Take breaks, but remember, \u201cA person always breaking off from work never finishes anything\u201d (Nigeria). Instead, \u201cPut a stout heart to a stey brae<\/em> (steep hill),\u201d (Scotland), because \u201cMoney grows on the tree of persistence\u201d (Japan).<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t rush: \u201cA work ill done must be done twice\u201d (Wales). And if a new task intimidates you, remember: \u201cThe work will teach you how to do it\u201d (Estonia).<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Also, don\u2019t keep hitting the escape key. I tried it, but I\u2019m still at work.<\/p><\/div>\n
Our Ancestors Meant Business<\/strong><\/h4>\n
In summary, as you adapt to working from home, employ the new wisdom in old proverbs from around the world: Be gracious to WFH colleagues in remote locations, because \u201cOver a distance of a thousand miles, only humanity works, not power\u201d (Chinese). A far-flung but networked team can work wonders. After all, \u201cWhen spiderwebs unite, they can tie up a lion\u201d (Ethiopia).<\/p>\n
Oh, and one more thing. When working from home, NEVER, EVER confuse your boss’s Zoom Check-In with your buddy’s Zoom Happy Hour. As the old German proverb says, \u201cSchnapps is schnapps, business is business.\u201d Cheers!<\/p>\n
$\"A$
NSFW: Not Suitable For Work (or cats!)<\/p>\n
<\/p><\/div>\n
More<\/em> WFH humor: See BBC News interview an expert working from home, here<\/a>. Then watch the New Zealand parody, here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
They worked like dogs\u2014the boss conducted their performance review on Zoom! Watch here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
Comment<\/em><\/a> on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":38428,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[99,235,227],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-heritage-culture","category-proverbs-language","category-worldwide-mappoints"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38431"}],"version-history":[{"count":65,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38509,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38431\/revisions\/38509"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

Old Sayings for New Work Habits

Rise ‘n Shine Get Online!

Business Casual, Fashion Casualty

Corner Office, Meet Kitchen Corner

A Zoom of One’s Own

Power Naps and Proverbs

Our Ancestors Meant Business