I think that (too long) title says it all. Working from home can be so tough for those of us who are not as inclined to stay focused in a home environment. I mean, I specifically stay at work so I can get my work done after school and be done with it when I get home.
Now, I’m working
from home like a lot of others right now. It has been only a few weeks, and there
have been a lot of adaptations I’ve had to make. It has been a huuuuuge
learning curve for me. Here are a few tips that have really helped me.
1.
Plan your day hour by hour.
At the end of the day, I take the time to plan things out. I’m very busy
with two jobs, so this allows me to fill my limited space with things like my
goals and snacks in between shifts. I also find that doing things by the
hour gives me the flexibility to move things around if I need to.
2.
Be sure to schedule in walking time.
I just heard a quote that said something like, “there is no bad weather, just
bad attire.” Even though it has been frigid on some days and slushy on others,
I try to walk at the end of my days. My goal is to walk for just 10 minutes,
but I’ll walk more if I happen to have more time. I find that it breaks up my
day and gives me a second to transition between jobs.
3.
Put something on the top of your list
that you can check off right away.
Maybe this tip should have started with “make a list” but hey ho. I used
to do this all the time even without working from home. If I can start by day
but checking something off (or erasing it from my elephant), then I feel so much
more accomplished right from the start.
4.
Keep lunch breaks separate.
This may not be possible for everyone, but I like to make sure I’m in a different
spot for lunch. Thinking back to Leeds
last year, I didn’t have the space
to move to a different area completely. However, I had an eating couch and a
work couch. Just that simply differentiation helps keep me focused because I’m
not staring at the same wall all day.
5.
Surround
yourself with nice smelling things.
This seems silly but hear me
out. You’re in a room pretty much all day. You’re breathing in the same air all
day. It may as well smell nice! I have an essential oil diffuser on my desk,
but I’ve also started wearing perfume during the day. Changing up the scent in
your area also keeps things interesting and less monotonous.
6.
Go
easy on yourself.
I cannot stress this enough. We’re still in
the middle of a pandemic. It is OKAY if you’re not at top productivity right
now. It is OKAY if you can’t get yourself to focus like you usually can. Give
yourself the flexibility to try new things and to fail and then try again.
At the end of the
day, this is a season in our collective lives. We’ll come out of this as
changed people, and maybe as a better society that appreciates workplaces and
seeing people just a little more.
What are your top
work from home habits?
-Daniella
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