Unless you’re one of our country’s amazing key workers (bravo if you are, by the way), then you’ve probably spent a lot of time at home by now. And while working from home might have sounded wonderful, and felt wonderful in the beginning, you might start to feel the cabin fever setting in about now. Don’t worry – that’s totally normal! Most people are feeling this way in some shape or form at the moment, especially if you aren’t used to using the dining table as a desk. But there are some things you can do to keep yourself, and your family, sane and happy while you work from home.
Give Yourself Some ‘You’ Time
While there is so much uncertainty in the world it can be really tempting to seek comfort in the norm and work a lot, or even dip your head in the sand and focus on work to avoid thinking about other things. But that’s not a sustainable way to live, and sooner or later you’re going to burn out and end up worse off. So why not try to adopt the ‘work hard, play hard’ attitude, and take some you time? Time to rest, recharge and just relax a bit. This downtime is really important for your mental health, so make sure you schedule in some regular breaks, and take them. While you might not be able to do some of the things you usually would to unwind, you can still go for a walk, sit out in the garden, read a book, play a game, or really any indoor activity that will keep your mind away from work and give it a chance to rest.
Have Regular Calls (Even If You Don’t Have To)
Even if you’re isolating with your family, it can sometimes feel like you’re the only person in the room. Humans are social creatures, and we need other people to talk to. So try to make some time to talk to other people, even if you don’t necessarily have to. Video calls for meetings with your team are a great way to stay connected, but try to build in time for some socialising as well. Add in 30 minutes for a general wellbeing check-in if anyone wants it. Make a point to call your family and friends. Try to speak to someone outside your house at least once a day, and it will help you feel less disconnected.
Work In your Productive Hours
One of the great things about working from home is that there is no real 9-5. Very few jobs actually require the 9-5 clock in, and if you’re trying to juggle work and family, then it can be difficult to get all your work done in set hours. So rather than trying to cram it all into one block, give yourself a bit of a break. Instead, work in your most productive hours. You know how sometimes you’ll be really productive in the morning, but after lunch you’ll get a big slump and not feel like doing anything? Instead of forcing yourself to work, take that time to recharge, relax, and spend a bit of time with your family. Then when you feel more alert, sit down and work again. You probably already know what your natural productive periods are, so why not use them to your advantage while you can? You may find you actually get more work done!
Sleep Well
Honestly, sleep is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. There’s been a lot written about the value of sleep, and by now we all know how much better we feel after a good night’s sleep. But the lack of structure to the day has meant some people are becoming nocturnal. Sleeping in late and spending much longer in the evenings looking at devices can wreak havoc with your natural sleep cycles, and that can be difficult to fix later on. So make sure you try and keep a routine and get good quality sleep. If you can, disconnect from the devices after 9pm (or at least turn off push notifications) and make sure you get to bed at your normal time – you will feel better and more productive for it.
We know times are hard right now, but with the right attitude we can all get through this and be stronger because of it. We hope some of these tips have been helpful for you, and wish you the best of luck working from home as the lockdown continues.
Stay safe everyone.
