How to work from home without going (totally) crazy
When I started my business eight years ago, my greatest concerns were money, customers, and my intelligence. What I never considered, but what has caused me to contemplate abandoning my business more than any other factor, is the loneliness. Working for yourself, by yourself, and from your own home is isolating. And perhaps that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but there are times I would cry from the loneliness of it all. Big gulping ugly cries, because — on the bright side — there was no one around to see!
With COVID-19 sweeping the world, and so many ordered to shelter-in-place, I imagine that many are either (A) feeling the isolation of working from home or (B) wishing they could have a bit more isolation from their beloved families, pets, and unlawful visitors. While I don’t have much advice for the latter scenario, I wanted to offer some tips that have helped keep me (somewhat) sane while working from home.
1. Stick to a routine…sort of.
With so much uncertainty, routine is one thing we can control. Feel free to play around with what works best for you. For example, I’ve found that going for a run or a walk first thing ensures I get some exercise and outdoor time, which is vital to my mental health throughout the day. Then I handle work items, meetings, and other tasks. Five o’clock finds me with a drink and my computer in-hand for writing time.
That being said, I wouldn’t assume that your “Pandemic Work from Home” schedule will look anything like your normal work schedule. For example, if you have the luxury of sleeping in a little later now that your pesky commute is on hold, do that! Or if you have kids who require attention, and you can only check emails early in the morning and during nap time, readjust your work as necessary.
2. Make showering and getting dressed part of your daily routine.
The other day my colleague admitted that she’d showered and done her hair for the first time in days. “I feel like an entirely new person!” she said. It reminded me of when I began working from home. I’d roll out of bed, walk the 10-feet to my desk, and start working. This can mess with you mentally, particularly when bedtime rolls around and you find that you can do the reverse commute to bed without changing. Yuck. You don’t have to glam it up, but a shower and non-pajamas will do wonders for your outlook on life.
3. Try to carve out a separate workspace for yourself.
This is a challenging tip to follow in these times of full households and little space, but do the best you can. Mostly, you want to create a work environment that feels distinct from home space. Know that little gestures can make all the difference.
When I lived in a studio apartment, I’d do all my work at the desk. When I was done for the day, I’d stand up, straighten up my desk, push in my chair, turn off the desk light, and then walk five feet over to my couch. Having that routine of shutting down my workspace helped me mentally shift from work to personal time. This shift is crucial, given that you’re now in a position where you could theoretically work all the time, or play all the time.
Even though I work from home most of the time, I film and hold webinar classes in an office I share with some friends. COVID-19 forced me to get creative with my home webinar workspace set-up. I spend my time teaching from here praying that my neighbors stay quiet and my cat leaves me alone.
4. Get creative with human interaction.
Most of us can’t see our families, friends or co-workers in person, but we can use platforms like Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or others to fill this void. If you struggle working alone during the day, see if a colleague will sit on Skype with you, so it feels like you have someone else in the room while you work. When I began working alone, I talked more to friends and family about work projects to keep myself sane. Our families may not be used to hearing so many details about our daily lives, but perhaps it’s what we need to do while we’re temporarily separated from our colleagues who understand why it’s so outrageous that Debbie forgot to email the Quarterly Update (damn it, Debbie!).
5. Be kind and understanding to yourself and others.
These are hard and unprecedented times. My husband moped around the house for the first week because he felt he wasn’t as productive at home as he is in the office. Of course he wasn’t! Not only are we distracted by the fate of the world, but we don’t have the same set-up at home to do our jobs as we do at the office. Our normal routines have been severely disrupted, and whether we grumble about them or not, we like our routines.
When I found myself unable to concentrate on work because of worry, I actually took a day off. I spent that day doing precisely what I wanted to do: an art project, baking, playing with my cats (and, answering emails — sometimes it’s hard to truly step away). I realize we don’t all have the luxury of taking a day off, but if you’re struggling, try taking 30-minutes to do something for you. Most of all, be patient with yourself and those around you.
I hope these suggestions are helpful, and you take from them what you can. If you have other tips, I’d love to hear them. Please include them in the comments below.
To those working from home who have kids, I’m sorry if these tips frustrate you, since I imagine they are challenging when your home is ruled by tiny dictators. My admiration for what you’re doing — working from home while simultaneously rearing young humans — knows no bounds. What am I saying? You likely haven’t even been able to read as far as this paragraph without being pulled away to attend to something else.
To those who are unable to work from home and are suffering the consequences, my heart goes out to you. How can we help? I’d love to hear from you.
Safety, sanity, and love to you all.
