With the COVID-19 Pandemic causing basically everything to shut down, it is completely understandable to feel a sense of panic and confusion. Many of us thrive when we have a daily routine. Unfortunately, the quarantine has our daily schedules completely thrown off. I wanted to offer up some suggestions on how to stay sane while you are living that “work from home” life if you are experiencing this sudden life change! Keep reading to learn how to work from home successfully.
Disclaimer: Please consult with your doctor if you are feeling overwhelming anxiety or depressive symptoms. While these suggestions may help, I am not your professional provider therefore you should seek out further advice from your therapist or physician. You can read my full disclaimer here.
Get Ready Every Day
One of the best things you can do for yourself to make sure you are working from home successfully is to treat every day like an actual work day. Get up, wash your face, put on makeup if you would normally wear it to work, and dress in something comfy yet cute. I always feel more productive when I am dressed up and have my hair/makeup done! Doing so can help you get started on work when it seems really tempting to sleep in a little later.
Find a Routine that Makes You Successful
Unless you are in the medical field (thank you SO MUCH to all the doctors, nurses, and administrators who are working overtime to keep us healthy!) or were working from home already, chances are you have limited hours at work or have transitioned to working from home. This change of lifestyle can feel disruptive because our typical schedule is completely thrown off. My #1 tip for you if you have recently started working from home is to create a daily schedule for yourself. A sample schedule might look something like this:
- morning workout
- shower and get ready for the day
- work
- stretch, move around
- eat lunch
- work
- take the dogs for a walk
- work
- relaxation time
- bed time
Planning out your day the night before can ease some of the anxiety of not knowing what to do the next day when you are expecting to stay at home. Create three attainable tasks for yourself that you know you can accomplish and prioritize what you need to do. This will make everything feel less overwhelming.
Get Up and Get Moving
Exercise is so important to our overall health and wellness. Although many gyms have closed for the next few weeks, there are many ways for you to get active in your living room. YouTube has many amazing and FREE resources such as yoga, HIIT workouts, and bodyweight workout plans that you can do in a small space. I encourage you to check out what you can find on YouTube and try it out! Here are some of my favorite YouTube Channels:
Another way to get moving throughout the day is to go for walks around your neighborhood. Just because we are practicing social distancing doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy fresh air! Try to pick a new area to walk every day to switch things up.
Find a Designated Work Space
If you are trying to work from your bed, chances are you won’t get much work done. Same thing if you are switching up your workspace every day. Find a table or desk where you can clear space for yourself to set up a workstation. The more space you have, the better! I have a desk set up in a shared office, and it is a very productive place for me. Set up an area that you know will help you work from home successfully, whatever that means for you!
Seek Out Social Support
Although we are being encouraged to practice social distancing, working from home successfully is going to require all of us to communicate in other ways. If you are extroverted, this is especially important for you to keep communicating as you normally would, but via electronic means such as texting, FaceTime, etc. If your job requires collaboration, there are many online formats such as Zoom or Google Hangouts where you can video conference from different locations. This is also a fun way to stay in touch with family and friends after work hours, too!
Take Everything Day by Day
The Coronavirus has disrupted a lot of things, but this is a great opportunity to appreciate our health and opportunity to work from home. Working from home might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but at least we are able to continue to work. My heart goes out to all of those affected by the changes due to COVID-19. Stay strong and stay healthy as best as you can! If you liked this post, please let me know as I would love to do a mini-series on surviving quarantine if you found the information I shared helpful. Above all else, try to keep as much consistency in your routine as possible in order to work from home successfully. We are going to make it through this together!
Much love, Ashley Marie
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