Photo by James McDonald on Unsplash
When working from home is a mandate
Whether you’re self-quarantining or your work place closed, you are probably spending more time than ever before at home. COVID-19 is inducing a strange sense of panic and calm in people - torn between a sense of urgency to do something but stuck at home with nothing to do. We’re all finding a new normal from within our homes. I’ve heard all sorts of accounts from friends stuck at home and finding creative ways to pass the time. These accounts include cleaning out pantries, (finally) doing taxes, taking up cross-stitching, practicing musical instruments from high school, and even hand writing letters to family!
It’s understandable to worry about the future in these uncertain times. But instead of letting COVID-19 consume us with anxiety, we can all take this opportunity to develop helpful home habits and ride through the chaos.
This goes for the new remote workplace as well.
For those of us in the workforce who are suddenly placed on mandatory work-from-home, the ability to do so might come as a relief, but the transition to remote work is definitely an adjustment. I’ve been working remotely for three years so social distancing is my jam! Working remotely has its perks, but the isolation and lack of structure can upset your flow and make your job harder than it needs to be.
Tips for successful work-from-home-days
Set up a comfortable, private workstation
I can’t stress this enough. You may be thinking - but this is only temporary, I’ll just push all this crap on the dining table to the side and set up my laptop here for now. I wouldn’t recommend it. If that’s how you roll, you’re not going to get anything done.
The best thing you can do for your sanity and your physical health is to choose a designated spot where only work happens, and make your workstation as ergonomic as possible under the circumstances. I know we can’t all afford to buy a second monitor and office chair with lumbar support, but if you have those things, use them! Bring them home from the office if necessary. Set up your desk so that you can stand at it even if it means stacking phone books under your monitor to raise it up. If you’re on the phone a lot, invest in a good headset.
Make sure you are able to get privacy. If you can choose a room with a lock, all the better. If not, use a “do not disturb” sign such that when work gets extra busy, kids or roomies know not to walk in on your conference calls.
Almost as important is to set up a space that is aesthetically pleasing to you. Do whatever gets you motivated for work! Find a spot that gets natural light. Keep your space tidy. Put a plant next to your computer. Put things around you that are soothing. Do you need a coaster for your coffee, the coffee being the key here? Are your hands so dry from all that hand washing that you’d want to keep your favorite lotion around? In the same way you’d decorate your away-from-home office, it can be fun to do the same for your at-home office.
Get dressed and get ready to face the world
Seriously, get dressed. Even if no one will see your face for days. Getting dressed helps you feel more confident and professional, and you’ll act accordingly. The days that I’m still in my sweat pants and oversized space cat t-shirt at 5pm are my worst days. I end the day depressed and feeling like I never really started the day.
I’m not saying you have to wear your pencil skirt or tuck in your shirt. Unless it’s required for your line of work and you’ll be videoconferencing the whole day, I’m a big advocate for doing away with traditional office attire. But do put on clothes that make you feel confident, comfortable, and ready to face challenges. If you can, keep it casual Friday at home as well.
If you never know when you may need to hop on a video call or training session, wash your face and tame that hair, like you (sort of) care!
Set a schedule and stick to it
Think you might be a slacker?
Are you worried that if you’re left to discipline yourself, you’ll just binge watch The Great British Baking show and eat cheesy poofs all day? I hear you. When I tell people I work from home, they often respond with “I couldn’t do that, I would get so distracted and not get anything done!” You may think you can’t be trusted to actually work, but in reality, if a job has to be done, and if you’re capable of doing it at the office, you’ll muster up what it takes to do it without your supervisor watching your every move.
The thing is, people crave structure. If you don’t have any order to your day at home, you’re going to feel pretty scattered, and trying to work that way is unsustainable. Set a work schedule similar to one you’d keep in the office to avoid wasting time. Tell your coworkers when you'll be available so they keep you accountable, and also let them know when you’re logging out. This means setting timers - multiple, if you have trouble sticking to schedules.
For the workaholics
On the other hand, can you see yourself struggling to separate work from life? I get carried away with work, and before I know it, I’m working 10-12 hour days, and my back is sore from all the sitting. Set boundaries for yourself based on the kind of problems you foresee having. Make a rule that you won’t check work mail after a certain time of the day. As tempting as it may be to compulsively come back for more, notice that urge and direct your attention to doing non-work again.
This also includes taking a lunch break! And please, no checking email or even looking at your computer for at least half an hour! Oh, I know you’re going to try to eat at your desk. Don’t. Eating at your desk prevents you from putting aside precious me time. When you worked in the office, you did things like go out for coffee or walk between buildings to break up your day - you still need that when working from home. You work hard - give yourself that break.
Find ways to socialize and interact so you don’t feel so isolated
Social distancing does not mean social isolation. Physical distancing is a more accurate description. While many introverts are rejoicing at the mandate to socially distance, others are going to miss and crave that social interaction of office culture. For many of us, work is our main social outlet - after all, we spend 75% of our days with these people! No more chats with coworkers, coffee breaks with your work-pals, and happy hours with Katie catching up on the latest juicy gossip. You’ll miss giving Pam a knowing look when Michael says something insane (shout out to The Office…anyone?).
Socializing aside, there are also benefits to having coworkers on hand to actually work with. Brainstorming ideas and team work will need to be restructured from home. You may find out that virtual staff meetings aren’t as effective if you can’t do quick check-ins with Paul after. Not to mention the number of email exchanges just increased by two fold, as if you didn’t have enough to catch up on at all times. Find the best balance to be able to communicate while also getting work done in a way that doesn’t drive you bonkers.
Schedule video calls regularly
To resolve this dilemma, you’ll have to go out of your way to interact with others. Days could go by before you see another person. If you work in a team, call or set up regular video calls for debriefing sessions. Google Hangouts or Zoom allow you to do that without a hitch. Running ideas by your coworkers can help you process. Without an outlet for that, ideas can stew in your head and become anxieties. Seeing their face will also help you remember there’s a human behind that flurry of emails and make you feel more seen as well.
The importance of communication
If you report to a supervisor, check in with them to let them know your progress on projects. When everyone is scattered in their respective remote locations, tasks can get lost without clear communication. Task management apps like Trello make it easier. Group chat platforms like Slack are great for keeping communication up with your team.
Be very deliberate about leaving screen time behind
So, we’re about to be spending at least a third of the work days at our computers, and when that’s done, we’re probably going to be tuned into social media, scrolling through the latest nerve-wracky breaking news. This gives us very little time to…human. Before we all turn to androids, let’s break that addiction cycle by shutting that computer down and going outside. If you haven’t been quarantined or put on lockdown, go on a hike, away from it all. If you have a backyard, play fetch with the dog, throw a ball around with your kids. If you have a balcony, sit out there and bask in the sun with a book you’ve always wanted to read.
We’re not going to be able to release tension by socializing at the church potluck or local pub for a while. I have a feeling that nature is going to be our savior in the coming months. This is our chance to ground ourselves in just being people on earth.
It’s ok to not work straight through
Your boss might disagree, but with the stress of it all, it’s hard to be firing on all cylinders All. The. Time. Even with your best attempts, you’ll be interrupted, your mind will drift, you’ll be tired of doing video calls all day long. You know what it takes to get the work done. As long as you’re getting it done, it’s ok to take time to tend to your kids, make a call to your insurance rep, or place a grocery delivery order. If you need to take care of some personal business during the day, that’s ok - that’s how work-life balance is created.
Get movin’!
Back in the office, you were mostly confined to your desk, in that awful L-shaped seated position. If you needed to stretch it all out, it was probably awkward to foam roll on the floor every couple hours with Debbie in HR watching. But now….you’re home! This is your chance to move your body and keep it safe from those injuries related to a sedentary lifestyle. Set a timer to do regular stretches to keep your body healthy - the last thing you need is a neck cramp when all the chiropractors are closed.
If there’s a silver lining
Find the balance that keeps you from going stir crazy. The nice thing is that your hours are usually more flexible when you’re at home, and that can actually yield more productivity than being confined to a cubicle for eight hours of the day.
Maybe this whole situation will build better, healthier work habits. After all, it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit. We’re about half way there. We can either worsen neck and back pains, stress eat, and feel even more secluded in our Seattle freeze when we come out of this health crisis….or, we can pick up a new hobby, make meaningful connections in our communities and realize that we’re more resilient than we know. This is a scary time, so here’s to the long haul.
Before I log off, I want to remind you our counselors are here for you. They can chat over video if you need someone to talk this out with. Even when you’re physically distancing, there’s still a way to connect. They’re as real behind a screen as they are in person.
Karen Lenz is the Office Whiz and Insurance Guru at People Bloom Counseling. She writes blog posts as a human navigating this world, a client sitting across from a therapist, much like you. In these stressful times, she has never been more thankful to have her dog Ziggy by her side during her work days. He loves making appearances behind her in conference calls and getting laughs out of everyone! He makes all the stress melt away and reminds her of what matters most.