I always fantasized about working from home: no traffic or hour-long commutes, comforts of home, and removal of office distractions. I would think, “I could get so much more done if I worked at home.” After several weeks of working at home, I have learned it isn’t as simple as I imagined.
Working from home does not mean less stress. Instead, I have found new stressors. Without my colleagues to help feed my motivation and creativity, I get stuck in my own head. The rhythm of the day is blurred. The four steps from my bed to the desk doesn’t provide me the time for thought and reflection my long work commute did. The distractions of home, family, TV, house chores, the call of the yard, all cause me to lose focus.
Here are some tips that helped me adjust to the new normal of working at home.
1. Keep a routine. Find a schedule that works for you and try to stick to it. In the morning, I get dressed, make coffee, eat breakfast, and take a short walk as my “commute” to work. Create a to-do list and check-off tasks as you accomplish them. Be purposeful in taking breaks, stopping for lunch, and finding a friend to chat with.
2. Go virtual. We can all text, email, or make a phone call, but connecting with your work team on video can be a breath of fresh air. I know it was for me. My first virtual meeting with my team brought peace back to my heart. I could see their faces, friendly smiles, quirky surprised looks, compassionate worried looks, and comforting demeanors. A few options for virtual meetings are Google Hangout, Microsoft Team, Zoom, and GoTo.
3. Create a workspace. It’s ideal to have a designated office space in the home, but that isn’t accessible to everyone. My “office” is also my bedroom, so I use mental barriers to get in and out of work mindset. Once I make my bed and get dressed, I mentally prepare for work. When I take breaks or eat lunch, I leave my room for another space. When work is finished for the day, I pack up my laptop, make my to-do list for tomorrow and close out the day. My office is mentally my bedroom again. If you can’t create physical boundaries, create mental ones.
4. Take care of your mind, body, and spirit. De-clutter your mind by putting your phone down and turning off the constant news stream. Designate a couple times a day to check the news - you will get the most important pieces while giving your mind time to rest in between. Stay physically active. Take a walk, stretch, dance, anything to move your body. While we are physically distancing, we don’t have to be socially isolated. Feed your spirit by connecting with colleagues, friends and family. Pray or meditate to find spiritual grounding that gives you peace and connection.
5. Be patient. We are all trying to adapt to this new normal. We won’t get it right the first few weeks. This pandemic is not our undoing – see it as our reset and grow time. Be kind, be patient, and be empathetic.
By Amy Pool
Thrive Strategy Manager