Working From Home & How to Stay Sane (Step by Step Guide)
One day I was working at my office downtown. The next day, I was told I was working from home indefinitely. Now, it’s been three months–with no timeline of when we may be asked to return to the office. Being able to work remotely is definitely a privilege. Not everyone is able to do it (shout out to our amazing essential workers!).
At the same time, working from home has been an adjustment for so many people who have never had to do it before. Not to mention the extra stress of trying to be “productive” during a PANDEMIC.
These are some of the things I make sure to do that have helped me stay sane while working remotely (AND living through a pandemic),
1. Take Active Breaks.
When I was working in the office, I had a bad habit of never taking my breaks. I even ate my lunch at my desk most days (while continuing to work!). I kept this habit when shifting to remote work and I BURNED OUT.
Now that I have wised up, I take what I call “active breaks” after meetings or when I am stuck on a problem. I use these breaks to take my mind off of work for 5-10 minutes at a time AND get a task done around the house. Depending on how I’m feeling I will either do the dishes, water my sunflowers (and check that they’re still alive), or watch one of my favorite YouTuber’s latest videos. I know doing these things will bring a smile to my face.
And if your breaks aren’t “active,” you’re not alone. Sometimes I just lay on the floor for 10 minutes and stretch. TOTALLY OK. AND your body probably could use the stretch since we’re sitting in non-ergonomic chairs.
2. Be Forgiving.
Working from home, I’ve been working at my kitchen table and sharing the space with the three other people. Working remotely definitely has had its upside. But with coronavirus, and most recently, the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black Americans, there have been days where I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. There was a week where I contemplated quitting my job. My energy was so slow.
Instead of feeling frustrated or quitting, I gave myself some grace and recognized that we are in an unprecedented moment. It’s ok to not be ok for a while. Forgive yourself. We cannot be 100% productive all of the time. We need downtime to recharge.
3. Create One Moment of Joy.
The last thing I want to do in the morning when I have a long day ahead of me at my kitchen table is get up from my cozy bed. And if I need to do a workout??? Forget it.
So I started thinking about small things that I can do that I can look forward to. For example, I started making my fave coffee (cold brew) or Iced Matcha drink in the morning. I even use my favorite Star Wars tumbler. It is a small ritual and it only takes a few minutes and it pushes me to start my day.
4. Cope with Stress in the Moment.
What do you do when you notice that your body is tensed up and that stress is taking over? Don’t just plow through and ignore it. I’ve done that, and it usually just results in a huge build up that ends in me crying in my room.
When I’m feeling stressed, I try to do something to cope with it in the moment. Two things I like to do: coloring and EFT tapping.
I don’t have an “adult coloring book” but I did pick up a Star Wars-themed mini-coloring book from Target last weekend for $1 (EVEN CAME WITH STICKERS) and I placed it right by my computer. If I’m in a stressful meeting or dealing with a tough conversation, I make sure the book is open and that I have something to color with.
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping is a strategy my therapist taught me for anxiety relief. It’s so simple, like stupid simple. By tapping certain points in the body that impact energy flow, you can ground yourself when things are getting out of control. People who recommend it say that tapping can reduce stress and restore balance to your energy. It’s worked for me. And at the minimum, it’s a physical reminder to myself that I am human and that everything is ok in that moment.
5. Detach.
Another awful habit that I can’t break: checking my work email after logging off and on the weekends. The boundaries between work and my personal life have literally vanished. It’s harder than ever to get the separation I need for a balanced life when the place where I work AND eat dinner is in the same exact chair.
Since working from home, I started to be more mindful of excessive email checking. During non-work hours, I change my inbox setting from ALL to just my personal Gmail so I don’t see my work emails. I told my boss (nicely) that I am trying to be more mindful about email and asked her to text me for urgent needs.
Having this boundary has freed up my mind to really enjoy my time off and prevents me from accidentally seeing a work email that will RUIN my weekend.
These are some of the things that have helped me from completely breaking down during the quarantine period. What have you been doing to adjust to working remote? Comment below!
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