Since I've worked from home for most of my career, I thought I'd share some tips for making the experience fun and rewarding.
Tip #1: Get dressed
Even if you're not going to have any video meetings, put on an outfit that makes you feel like working. You don't have to go as far as wearing a suit and doing your full makeup routine if you don't want to, but getting out of your pajamas gives you a psychological boost and signals that it's time to work.Tip #2: Schedule your day
One of the biggest challenges of working from home is that people tend to lose a lot of the structure they find in the office. The lure of social media, laundry, pets, and the fridge can all eat into your productivity.Schedule your day starting with the meetings you have to call in to, then carve out time slots for the projects you need to work on today, and then (and just as importantly) carve out time for breaks during which you take the dog for a walk, play with the cats, check in on Facebook, etc. Just make sure you schedule it in, and be sure to consult your schedule throughout the day, making adjustments as needed. I use the Self Journal and highly recommend it for planning your day.
Tip #3: Turn on video in your conference calls
Seeing your colleagues' faces will help you feel much more connected and less isolated. Furthermore, communication flows more smoothly when you can see each others' faces, because you can pick up on cues when someone wants to jump in and you can see their reactions. If you have a slow internet connection, though, you might have to turn off video to keep the audio from dropping sporadically. In this case, if your meeting app allows you to have a photo of yourself, use a friendly photo that shows you smiling.
Tip #4: Carve out a space just for work
If at all possible, try to set aside a space that is just for work and nothing else. If you only have a kitchen table, try to sit in one seat for working and another seat for eating. Or make the kitchen table your desk and eat while sitting on the sofa. (Wear earplugs or headphones while working if you're in a noisy environment.) It's very easy to have work and home life bleed into each other when you work from home, which can lead to lost productivity as well as burnout. Make sure your working hours are mostly work and your personal hours are mostly personal. By carving out a physical space that's just for work, it can help you better separate your work time from your personal time.
Tip #5: Plan social events
Wait, aren't we supposed to be practicing social distancing? Yes, but planning some remote social interaction can be critical for maintaining your mental health during isolation.
Over this last weekend, I held an open mic night via Zoom. I created an event for it on Facebook and invited a bunch of people, and about a dozen called in. One person read a story they had written, and a couple of us performed songs. The rest of the time we just chatted and caught up as if we were at a cocktail party.
Another friend did a live DJ set from his living room and streamed it over Facebook Live, and I had a blast dancing for over an hour while occasionally texting with other friends who had joined the live stream. And this week a friend and I are planning remote game nights; poker, Yahtzee, charades, bingo, and trivia contests are all good candidates.
If this sounds like more social time than your introverted nature can bear, have a phone call with family or friends so you at least hear other voices. And also take a look at the virtual museum tours you can do online.
Tip #6: Exercise
Exercise is so important for your mental health. I am one of those rare people who has never experienced runner's high and actually feels worse right after exercise, but it's important for my overall health and sense of well-being. I'm a big fan of Peloton, especially because it provides such a strong community without having to leave the house. If you don't have the money or space for the bike or tread, no worries: the Peloton app, which is free for 30 days, has tons of great classes you can do without Peloton equipment.
Tip #7: Spend time on creativity and learning
There's never been a better time to work on your novel, learn guitar, color in coloring books, create playlists of music, read that book you got for Christmas, write poetry, paint, or simply journal about your experiences during this time of isolation. Check out Master Classes, or just look up YouTube videos and learn how to do something new. When we use this time to create or learn something new, we feel even more productive, and that improves our sense of self-worth and accomplishment, which in turns boosts our mental health.Tip #8: Cut way back on alcohol
One of the big risks with isolation is depression, and alcohol is a depressant. It also leads us toward slothing on the sofa and watching TV instead of exercising and being creative. And if you're sharing space with family or roommates during this time, drinking alcohol will increase your chances of getting on each other's nerves and triggering arguments. It's really important that we take excellent care of ourselves during this time, so do the things that promote your physical and mental health.Tip #9: Help others
Research has shown that helping others helps us feel better. There are many small ways we can do this while we're isolated. If you are healthy and know of someone who is in a high-risk group, offer to do their grocery shopping for them, but only if you can be extremely careful and mindful of hygiene. If you know someone who lives alone, call them and check in on them. If you know someone has lost their job, offer them financial assistance if you can. Buy gift certificates from your favorite restaurants so that they get money now to tide them over during this time, and you can go enjoy a meal in a few weeks.Do you have other ideas for how to stay happy and productive while staying home? Pleas share them in the comments.
