Right now, there is a lot of uncertainty in the world, it’s okay to feel stressed or overwhelmed. Many of us are experiencing heightened anxiety towards the future and when life is going to get back to normal. It’s hard to sit and wait to see how this global pandemic unfolds when it impacts not only our personal health and finances but those of the people around you, the people you love and the world at large. But remember that you are not alone! Many people are facing similar anxieties so speak to each other and stay connected (obviously from a distance). Try to keep the things you do have control over, as stable and normal as you can (I know it’s hard).
For a lot of us, that means keeping our work life as normal as possible. If you are one of the people who are able to work from home right now, you know that it too comes with it’s own set of stresses. If you’re a parent, working from home can definitely increase the level of difficulty. Those who live alone you face so many challenges too. Let’s hang in there ladies, it’s hard for everyone but it’s going to get better!
I personally am stuck in 500 square feet with my husband who is also working from home. This is less than ideal but we still feel very lucky. I think after officially 14 days of working from home I finally have this whole thing hacked. AND I am happy to share my tips with you. Take as many or as few of them as you’d like. I just hope that you’re able to find something useful if you’re having a tough time working from home.
TLDR edition – get up, get dressed, talk to another human, do some work, move your body and go easy on yourself.
Have a routine
YES that means, set the alarm. When you first start working from home it can be so tempting to oversleep or throw your schedule out the window. Sure, the first few days sleeping in feels great! But staying in bed longer than you need does a whole lot more bad than good. It is always best to get up, and go.
The first tip I have, is make work routine and stick to it. I am not saying this needs to be a 9-5 but find a set time to work and stick to it. Personally, I have kept my regular work hours. To me, my calendar is sacred, I section off time in it for the different projects I am working on (TYPE A). I know my limits, when I am working from home, I only have the attention span to focus on one task for an hour at a time so I schedule accordingly. Find your groove.
I have spent some time scheduling different calls just like I would normally schedule to have coffee or a drink with someone. Whatever you do, have a routine. Maintaining your work life balance here is super important, especially when you have kids at home or if your mental health is suffering right now so try a few things out. It may take some time for you to sort out how this looks for you but you’ll get there.
Stay in touch
I am someone who works from home once in a blue moon. I only ever WFH if I really have to or I have someone coming to look at my dishwasher. Working from home is not my norm. I am a very extroverted person. Thus, making WFH very difficult the first few days. I am a big advocate of water cooler chatter so I did feel like something was missing. After a few days I figured it out, I just needed to stay better in touch with people. I started scheduling quick calls with my team every couple of days and texting/emailing more frequently than I would if we were in the office, just to make up for that lost facetime. Also setting up virtual coffees with people who I had been meaning to grab a coffee with REALLY helped.
Sit up
I never thought I would be the person to say “you can’t work from your bed” because in university I got some serious writing done sitting in my bed. BUT here I am saying this, sometimes just have to sit up with your back straight in a chair and get it done. Also, I realized after three days how much I like my office and how much I hate my dining room chairs. I can’t believe myself right now.
As tempting as it can be to work from bed, you are not doing yourself any favours. Try and make your WFH conditions as close to your office conditions as possible, this will allow for a more seamless (or as seamless as possible) transition. Your body naturally associates being in bed with sleeping, if you want to be on your ‘A game‘ and as productive as possible you need to sit up in that chair.
Make a dedicated office space that you can work in and own your space. I rotate space with my husband between my makeup vanity in my room and our dining room table. We swap places depending on conference calls, where the good lighting is and announcements tv. One thing to note here too is, if you do have children at home communicate with them when your work hours are and the space you’re going to be working in, make those rules clear.
Stay active
Take breaks and stay active. Quarantine doesn’t mean stagnation, you are way more productive if your health and wellness are in check. Get outside and get some air or do an at home workout. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you get it done. I have been going for regular runs and doing some light stretching and floor workouts. Being cooped up is mentally taxing so trying to keep things as normal as possible and getting in your regular exercise is so important. If you know this one is going to be hard for you get an accountability buddy. Someone who you don’t want to let down OR won’t let you let yourself down (either work). This makes it so much easier to get that work out in when you’re really not looking forward to it.
If you’re looking for some essentials for an at home workout check out the out the Pretty & Smart Co. Instagram for some ideas.
Manage your own expectations
WFH is HARD work. Be patient with yourself. Give yourself time. You might not have it all figured out in a day or even a week but keep trying. Make small adjustments to make your WFH conditions work for you. Of course, try to be as productive as you can, but more importantly take care of yourself and your family.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, be proud of how hard you are working at everything you’re doing right now. Some days are going to be harder than others.
So that’s it from me, my quick tips for hacking this whole WFH thing. Good luck and stay well everyone!
