So, suddenly you’re working from home like most everyone else.
Your morning commute is gone.
Stopping at your favorite coffee place before work? Not possible.
Lunch out with friends? Nope, not that either. As the world struggles to contain Covid-19, many of us are adjusting to a “new normal.”
It’s a weird feeling, but it’s now become your reality. Maybe you’ve got the kids at home too, which just makes everything more complicated. You love your family, but maybe…just maybe they’re getting on your nerves just a little bit?
But, if you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ve still got a job to do.
Here are some tips to help you work from home without totally losing your mind.
- Stick to a daily schedule. Work together with the other adults in your household and come up with a schedule everyone can live with. Schedule in time for sleep, exercise, family time and work. Most importantly, schedule in some fun. Once you have a schedule, set some timers. If you’ve got kids (or other daily responsibilities) that will take your attention away from your job, scheduling blocks of time for each adult so they can get work done will help immensely. Three to four hours of uninterrupted time is going to feel amazing and will allow you to keep your sanity and actually want to be present with your family.
- Dress and shower every day. Maybe not a suit, but yes, you have to wear pants.
- Try to leave the house every day. Responsibly, of course… all while practicing your social distancing. Take a walk or run around your neighborhood. Sit in your backyard, balcony, Ior on a park bench… eat breakfast or lunch outside if that’s possible. Just get outside.
- Set up a dedicated space to work. Preferably away from distractions like your TV. A desk is ideal, but the kitchen table can work too. A comfortable chair is good too.
- Create a list of tasks to accomplish each day. It’s so easy to get distracted or procrastinate at home, this is a good way to keep yourself focused.
- Be strict with your online time. If most of your work is on the computer, you’re going to need to keep yourself focused and away from online distractions somehow. Allow yourself social media check-ins at scheduled intervals in the day (before work and during breaks only). Do not keep tabs open that are unrelated to your work. If you’ve got Facebook open, you’re going to keep checking in to see new posts. Do not allow yourself to constantly check the news, either. It’s too easy to get sucked into the daily news cycle right now. It’s not healthy or productive to be continuously plugged in.
- Take care of yourself. This means eating healthy meals at your regular times, getting enough sleep (no late-night Netflix binges just because you’re home), and checking in with colleagues or friends you would normally see every day back when life was “normal.” You might even try having a virtual lunch with a friend over Zoom or Skype.
It can definitely be challenging if you now find yourself having to work from home. You’re still expected to get your job done, after all. Discipline will be necessary. Don’t be discouraged, though. It may take some time to get into a good flow, but following the tips above will help. It’s important to keep a good balance between your work and family life.
You can do this, and it’s only temporary.