The Coronavirus pandemic will see a lot of us working from home. Workloads may change and less face to face work needed – the future is uncertain.
Self -quarantine is a behaviour that protects not only ourselves, but the more vulnerable members of our community. Minimising the risk of viral transmission between individuals will help to maximise collective public health. Despite the societal good it will produce, staying at home is a sacrifice.
For years, society has made us commute to our work desks, to seize the tradition of a 9-5 day. The sudden disruption to this long-ingrained routine can seem overwhelming. For some, the thought of isolation can be terrifying. Work is an opportunity to get out of the house and socialise. Leaving the house is refreshing and can boost mood and esteem. Being housebound, therefore, can lead to the opposite.
When I first graduated, I experienced a lot of social isolation. When I started writing, I was working from home. I understand the burden on your mental health that isolation can have. Here are some tips to ensure maximum productivity and happiness when you’re working from home. The list is not exhaustive; we all have different circumstances, requirements and work capacities. Do not feel guilty if your productivity is not at its highest.
Don’t be afraid to change your working hours. Our body processes vary and fluctuate naturally throughout the day. Scientists call this a circadian rhythm, but it is universally known as a “body clock”. As result of the circadian rhythm, we all have natural ebbs and flows of productivity during the day. Scientists have categorised us into two groups: larks and owls. Larks are morning people, whilst owls are the opposite. If you describe yourself as a night owl, your work routine may have suppressed your body rhythm, forcing you to adhere to the 9-5 routine. When working from home, you can express your natural biological clock again. Work better during the early hours? Go for it. Night owl lifestyle more your thing? No problem. Need to reduce your hours to look after children or deal with the news? That’s okay, too.
Still keep a schedule in mind Regardless of whether you are a morning lark or night owl, no one can meet their potential by lying in bed all day. It is easy to become apathetic when you have no change of scenery during the day. Get up, get dressed. If your health and circumstances allow it, exercise inside. If you live in a rural area, take a brisk walk away from public footpaths. If you are too unwell to engage in vigorous exercise, try some yoga. If possible, try to aim for a 5-hour day. This doesn’t have to include academic or paid work – why don’t you make a meal plan from the ingredients you have, and plan out inside activities through the week.
Eat well It is important to eat nutritious food whilst you are staying at home. However, panic buyers have made this difficult. Try to find cheap, simple recipes online so that you can fuel your body. Make lunches in bulk, so you don’t waste time cooking and then cleaning up every lunchtime if you are trying to work. Try not to snack too much – you don’t know how long your popcorn may have to last you!
Designated social media breaks Without the eagle- eyed manager watching your every move, it can be tempting to look at Twitter when your concentration begins to dampen, and the Brain Fog takes its toll. Please don’t. Every unscheduled Twitter break I take is at least an hour long. Instead, go for a walk around your house/apartment/flat, pick up a healthy snack and get back to it. Maybe even use a social media blocker – like this News Feed Eradicator for Facebook.
Social Media is not the enemy On the other hand, you can use social media to help with work and morale. Take to Twitter for some tips, advice and a sense of humour. I’ve seen a lot of threads about working from home and self- quarantine; Like THIS and THIS. You can use social media to keep in touch with your friends, too. I’ve seen a lot of businesses offering services during this odd time that you might find useful – like free courses and tutoring for kids off school, they advertise these deals on their social media.
Use collaborator apps Talking to a large team via email can be difficult, and somewhat forced. You wouldn’t say “Kind Regards, Bryony” at the end of every spoken sentence, so engaging in Email talk can make you seem further away from your colleagues. Use a collaborator app like Slack or Asana to manage projects, bounce ideas and to just keep in touch. Missing your office buddy? Use Zoom to “co-work”. Good for productivity and morale, winner!
Don’t be hard on yourself A pandemic is occurring, potentially the first one you have ever lived through. Times are uncertain, and the news may seem a little bit scary and intimidating. My writing has taken the ‘back burner’. Within the scientific field, people have bigger fish to fry than… fish welfare. I’m not a virologist, so it would be unethical for me to pitch my “great ideas” to major news outlets. I’ll leave it to the professionals. Don’t be hard on yourself for not being as productive as usual. This time doesn’t have to be spent working. For me, my writing is an outlet which helps to mediate stress and express my creativity, so I will continue to do so as and when.
Look after yourself, and one another.
Let me know of any other tips! I am used to writing in Starbucks 3-4 days a week, so I also have lots to learn.
Brynstein Science 