How to Adjust to Working From Home During the Pandemic
Before the coronavirus pandemic, chances are you dreamed of one day being able to work from home. It seemed like it would be great to skip the morning commutes, be closer to your family when they need you, and essentially work where you’re most comfortable. Now that the national crisis has forced you to have no choice but to work from home, you suddenly realize it isn’t the dream circumstance you thought it was.
Simply put, working from home isn’t for everyone. Working at home requires a great deal of effort and discipline. It can, at times, take you further away from your family. You soon find that maintaining a decent work-life balance, staying motivated and encouraged, and even feeling lonely are all challenges that are hard to overcome.
Seeing as how you have to make a living to provide for yourself and family, it is imperative to discover ways you can make the transition to working from home during the coronavirus pandemic easier. Continue reading for advice.
Create a Designated Work Space
There are a lot of distractions in the home. There’s the kids running around and playing, the dog barking, the television blaring, and the lure of the refrigerator all around you. Trying to get work done in this type of environment is a disaster waiting to happen. To adjust to working from home, it is highly recommended that you create a designated workspace.
Select a room or area in your home that is located the furthest from all the distractions listed above. Utilize existing furniture in your home or purchase things such as a desk, chair, lamp, and basic office supplies for your workstation. Then, to lift your spirits, add some home decor items like family photos, artwork, area rugs, vases, flowers, etc. to add some personal style.
Set and Keep Work Hours
From the many distractions and personal responsibilities you have throughout the day, you may find it difficult to focus on your work. The best way to combat this problem is to set and keep your work hours. When deciding on a work schedule, keep your personal schedule in mind to avoid overextending yourself.
For instance, if you have school-aged children, you may need to make sure that they eat and complete school work. It would, therefore, be wise to schedule your working hours around that schedule. Perhaps you start work at 8 am, get the kids started with online learning at 10 am, take a break to prepare and eat lunch around noon, and then finish some more work from 2 pm to 5 pm.
Pencil in Downtime
Though it’s important for you to maintain your responsibilities for work, you don’t want to overdo it. There’s a lot going on that adds a significant layer of stress and anxiety to your life. Trying to work a straight 8 hours or more without a break or time to yourself is a recipe for disaster. Eventually, you’ll become physically and emotionally worn down.
Make sure that you’re penciling in downtime for yourself while working from home. This should include 15-30-minute breaks, lunch breaks, as well as days off or “me time”. At least once a week, head to your bedroom, lounge around in your underwear or something comfortable, and engage in something that makes you feel good. You can read a book, watch a movie, take a nap, chat with some friends, complete a puzzle, paint, or whatever suits your fancy.
Stay Connected
Working from home during the pandemic gets lonely. Sure, you have your kids, your significant other, or other relatives at home with you, but there are lots of people you’re used to socializing with that you haven’t seen in weeks.
To combat the loneliness of working from home, find ways to stay in touch with your co-workers, friends, and relatives. Play a game together from your smartphone, host a watch party for an upcoming movie or show, have a virtual happy hour, or just pick up the phone and have a long conversation.
Working from home has plenty of advantages, but it’s not without challenges. This is especially true under current conditions. The added stress and anxiety from the coronavirus pandemic can be very overwhelming. Though it can be a difficult transition at first, if you follow the advice provided above, you can make the process a lot easier to bear.