Top Nine Working-from-Home Solutions (While Also Home Schooling and the 1,000 Other Things You’re Already Doing)
By: Maureen Leif *with consultation with many of my work from home friends who do it well
Did you ever think you’d hear the words pandemic or “lock down” in your lifetime?
I think everyone is fluctuating between fear, anxiety, and simply being overwhelmed. Then, on top of the stress of not having supplies, worrying about your health and those you love, you’ve been told to work from home. All of a sudden you have to focus on that spreadsheet and that project plan and instead of the hum of your officemates you’ve got kids and pets and a phone that won’t stop buzzing with news updates.
Some of us have worked from home for a long time and have developed ways of making it work well for us and our jobs. But all of a sudden, we’re working from home with kids that also needing assistance (including with math that I can’t help with).
There is a lot of frustration and stress in all of this. Take a deep breath and tackle just a few things you can control at a time.
Here are the top nine ways that I and some of my friends use to make work from home a success:
1. Create a clean, organized work station.
o It may feel like you do not have time to fuss, but it will relieve stress and it will increase productivity.
2. Dress for work.
o This doesn’t mean you have to wear your best suit, but you’ll feel more energetic and focused if you get up and take a shower and not wear your PJs all day.
3. Try the “Focus at Will- Chill Out” playlist on Spotify.
o Does the background noise of the pets and kids bother you? This is a playlist created by neuroscientists and award-winning musicians to help you get focused. I swear by it.
4. Create a schedule and write it out.
o Hold office hours for the kids in school and assign household chores to everyone. That way when the laptop is not accessible, or the kids are stuck and need help they understand their checklist of to-dos. It will also relieve stress for everyone to have some sort of routine.
o My friend Audrey Lammers Williams example:
5. Schedule breaks for (1) School assistance (2) Mental break
o Do a five-minute stretch. You don’t need fancy equipment or space. Even those few minutes can really help. You can even do it in the kitchen: https://youtu.be/ao1scKwpxtk.
6. Have check boxes for water.
o Make yourself get up to go get the water (see what I did there). Hydrating will help keep you alert and help with immunity.
7. Check in with your supervisor.
o Have some kind of set check-in schedule with your supervisor so that you both can stay on the same page with expectations.
8. Hold to a routine with sleep and eating.
o If you’re like me I find that I am eating breakfast near lunch and then snacking too much before dinner. Sleeping and eating healthy are two keys to high immunity. Here is my favorite immunity-boosting smoothie bowl.
9. End each day with a gratitude journal.
o This means physically writing down with pen and paper, every day, five things you are grateful for. Read about all the reasons this can help you.
We’re all in this together so post your ideas, war stories, and suggestions on Twitter @grayspeakstrategies or on Facebook!
