With the outbreak of Covid-19, many of us are adjusting to a “new normal”. For a lot of us, this means working from home. It can take a lot of getting used to. You don’t get to see the familiar faces you once did in your office, you lose that social interaction. I have been working from home for many years and I have a few tips that will help make the adjustment for you a little easier.
Create a home office space. Even though you may be tempted to grab your laptop and hit the couch, don’t. It’s a recipe for distraction. You might be lucky enough to have an extra room to designate for a home office, but if you don’t that’s ok. If you don’t have a table in a corner of a room that ok too. You can use your kitchen/dining room table. If you don’t have the space to leave it set up, get a box, Tupperware bin or designate a drawer where you can put your work stuff away when not needed. I also recommend, if possible, setting up in an area where you are near a window. Having natural light filter in and being able to see outside helps with the feelings of isolation.
Stay in contact with co-workers. Have check-ins for work-related items but also just to make sure everyone is doing ok. Working from home can be a great thing, but if you thrive on social interactions and all of a sudden that’s taken away, it can feel very isolating. This also rings true with family and friends. Take advantage of technology and reach out via FaceTime, Zoom or any of the other countless apps available.
Create a schedule. It’s really important to adhere to some type of schedule. If not you could find yourself wasting your day binging on Netflix. I recommend the night before writing out the tasks you need to complete. You should include household chores on this list as well. Be sure to take some breaks. This could be a few laps around the house or a walk around the neighborhood. Moving around can help break up the monotony.
I hope these suggestions help you in some way. We are in an unprecedented time and living in a world of uncertainty. All you can do is the best you can. I hope everyone stay’s safe and healthy. I’d love to hear any suggestions you have as well!
– Andrea Young
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