People Share Their Work From Home Tips To Help Ease You Into Self-Isolation
First things first: if you’re able to work from home during this current coronavirus pandemic you are absolutely one of the lucky ones.
While it may be hard getting into a new routine outside of your usual office or working environment, there’s no denying that those of us who are able to work from home and keep our jobs are in an extremely fortunate position.
The reality of working from home does come with certain distractions: for example, you’re no longer hastily flicking tabs to make it look like you’re doing something productive when the CEO walks past, or maybe you accidentally took a 45-minute recess break even though you haven’t been allowed recess breaks since you were in school.
We asked around for a bunch of tips and tricks people have picked up working from home to help keep you motivated while in this situation.
1. Use the Forest app.
The forest app is a productivity app that helps you manage your time and distractions during working or studying hours. Basically you can earn credits by not using your phone and the credits can then be used to plant real trees around the world!
2. Make sure to keep as active as you can.
If you’re required to take a lunch break it’s a good time to fit in a quick workout or go outside for a bit (while social distancing, of course). The Nike Training app is full of good, short, workouts you can easily do at home and bonus: it’s free.
For other tips on keeping active while staying in, check out our post on workouts you can do while in iso.
3. Take regular screen breaks.
It’ll definitely help with your productivity in the end. When it’s time for a screen break, try not to just jump to your smaller screen (your phone): take a 15-minute walk, get some fresh air, or make yourself a snack.
Working 45 minutes out of every hour works for me. Then a break to check news/make tea/stick my face in the sun/listen to a couple of songs.
— Ruth Dawkins (@dorkymum) March 23, 2020
4. Take a normal lunch break.
Put work aside completely for that designated timeframe and do something you enjoy like Facetiming a friend, calling your parents, reading a book, or simply just playing Animal Crossing.
5. Try to limit social media distractions in working hours.
Ever get paranoid your boss would walk right behind you when you were checking Facebook or swiping on Tinder? Keep pretending that’s going to happen.
6. If you have a team to check in with, set up daily calls to stick to a working day routine.
Trust me, even if you can’t be bothered to wash your hair or do your makeup and don’t want your coworkers to see you like that, you’ll get over it soon enough. At the very least, it’ll get you out of your PJs. Probably.
7. If possible, separate your new “office” from your bedroom or do something to make it feel like you’re starting your workday fresh.
Not everyone has the luxury of having a spare room or desk setup to be able to do your work. If you’re in a sharehouse, maybe you can set up a new routine with your flatmates where one of you gets to use a communal space on certain days per week to break up being stuck in your bedroom.
If you are confined to just your room, taking a break from that area after you wake up and before you start work could help separate the fact it’s your usual sleeping space.
My work space is in my bedroom so-
Start of day – I get dressed in my work outfit. Walk around the block. Come home. Start work.
End of day – Walk around the block. Come home and get changed out of work outfit.
Trying for the first time today. pic.twitter.com/yfy40AYDuc
— Ariane Wilkinson (@arianewilkinson) March 23, 2020
8. Keep to your regular hours: if you’re meant to finish at 5:30 pm, finish at 5:30 pm.
It’s easy to fall into habits of procrastinating a little during the day because you basically have all night to get shit done if need be. But it’s important to try and stick to your daily routine as much as possible so when it’s log off time, you can enjoy the rest of the afternoon and night for what it is (and binge-watch Tiger King).
If you can, turn off your email, work chat, slack notifications etc. Your day is done!
9. Write out your weekly or daily schedule.
Maybe it’s just me, but I get wildly distracted being at home from some of the more mundane or “admin” type tasks my role involves. Writing them down each week helps me remember that even if I am at home and can watch MAFS while writing (it’s legit work, OK?!) it doesn’t mean I can’t ever open Excel again to figure out schedules and budgets.
10. If all else fails, print out a photo of your boss and stick it up behind your working area.
That way they truly will always be watching you.