idk this might be dumb, but with everything going on, i know a lot of you guys will be working from home or working remotely, and if you’ve never done it before, it can be a hard adjustment trying to balance work/life, especially if you’re used to keeping your work separate from your personal life. i’ve been working from home for the last several months, so here are some tips that may help you get adjusted!!
stick with your daily routine! if you’re used to getting ready in the morning, working out, eating breakfast, or getting in a quick game or two before heading off to work, keep doing it! while it’s super tempting to just sleep in until you have to start your shift, continuing your normal routine will help boost your productivity. if you don’t feel like getting completely dressed up (or putting on a bra, because fuck that), even changing your pajamas can help you feel a little more productive.
if possible, keep your work station out of your bedroom! unfortunately, due to space constraints, my work desk is in my bedroom, and sometimes it feels like i can’t escape work until i physically leave my bedroom. so if you can, try to keep your work out of the bedroom. it’ll help create a separation between your work and your personal life.
taking a break? try to go outside! this is very important. it’s very, very easy to feel like you’re stuck when you work from home. if weather permits, try to go outside, and breathe in some fresh air or take a quick walk. of course, please take all necessary safety precautions to ensure you don’t get sick and/or infect anyone. if you’re unable to physically go outside, open your windows and let some air in.
chat with your coworkers! working from home can make you feel disconnected from the rest of the office, and with current events, you may feel a little disconnected from the world. if you can, send a message to your favorite coworker, or even your manager, just to check in and see how they’re doing.
if you have pets, let them in! i let my kits roam free in my bedroom while i’m working, and nothing makes me feel calmer than petting them, especially if i’m on a particularly frustrating call. if you know they’re going to be a distraction, then don’t let them in, but spend your breaks cuddling. it makes the day 1000x better.
try to keep your work area clean! if mess is more your jam, then keep on keeping on! but i feel totally overwhelmed with work if my desk is a disaster area. tidying it up can help you feel a little more productive.
listen to music! i really do not recommend this if you work for a call center, unless you can balance listening to clients and music through an earbud at the same time. but if you’re home, turn on the bops, crank up the volume, and bang out some work babey!
keep track of your schedule! it’s very easy to get distracted when you’re away from your desk. you’re on lunch, you turn on netflix, you’re sucked up in the episode, and suddenly you’re 5 minutes over the time you were supposed to return. turn on a timer on your phone, or set alarms to help you stay focused, and out of trouble with your boss.
stand up, stretch, practice deep breathing! this is good for both being at work, and at home. if you can–stand up, take a step back, and stretch. take a minute to just breathe deep (if you have an apple watch, y’all know they have an app and a reminder for that. it comes in handy) and relax.
got candles? incense? light em up! i don’t know about you, but i love candles and incense, and having them burn helps me relax a bit. of course, make sure you’re burning responsibly!
if you absolutely need to, take a moment to step away. does your job let you step away from your desk? can you log out of your phone for a moment? if you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed, or unfocused, take a moment to step away, and breathe. everything is chaotic, and confusing, and we’re all unsure of what’s going to happen next. take a breath. take a couple breaths. take ten breaths. take that moment to compose yourself, then move on to the next call/chat/meeting/spreadsheet. take it one at a time.
hopefully even one of these tips helps u while working from home. it’s def an adjustment, but u can get through it! we can all get through it!! we got this babey!!!!
