How to Work from Home more Efficiently
During such an uncertain time and scary situation, I feel lucky to work for a company who takes care of its employees. Twitter has allowed its employees to work remotely for four weeks now, starting before the pandemic got worse in the U.S.
As an introvert, I love to stay at home, but I’m really missing my work colleagues and being in the office. I love a routine, and I have also realized that routine helps us to get going and gives a sense of normalcy. With this in mind, I have created a list of things you can do during this difficult time to keep things as normal as possible.
Working from Home (WFH) is something really amazing. At the same time, a lot of people are not used to WFH, and the fact that we’re now obligated to do it, might change how we feel about it. There may be a lot of distractions at home, a lot of uncertainties related to work, a lot of anxiety on our mind, and on top of that, it might feel like you’re not working since you’re at home all the time.
During this pandemic, we need to take care of ourselves and learn how to deal with our new constraints. I’m sharing a list of things I do that help me on a daily basis. Stay safe and sane, my friends!
▪️ Virtual Yoga Classes
It’s been almost six years since I began following Yoga with Adriene classes. She’s amazing. I love that her classes are designed for any level. Her dog is so cute, and she has some interesting playlists, including Yoga for Uncertain Times. Adriene has classes that are between 20 to 40 minutes long. Take a look, get your yoga mat, and try it out.
▪️ Play Online Games with Friends and Family
I scheduled a bunch of hangouts with my family and close friends this past week. We spent a lot of time talking about COVID-19 of course, but we also played some games together, which was super fun and gave us an opportunity to laugh and talk about other subjects. Skribbl.io is a game where you make a drawing based on a list of words you choose, and your friends guess the word. It’s fun, and it’s free.
▪️ Schedule Virtual Lunch with Coworkers and Friends
If you are WFH, one thing you can do to keep your routine as close to “normal” is to schedule virtual lunches with coworkers and friends. I know there’s another variable when you’re WFH, which is to actually cook. However, it can be really fun, you and your friends can cook together virtually and even share some recipes and maybe cooking secrets, huh?
▪️ Daily Meditation
My favorite app of all times is Headspace, I love their meditations. Andy’s voice is so calming and I love to meditate. I go through some periods where I meditate everyday and some where I meditate from time to time. Anyway, if you enjoy it, I believe meditation can be a powerful tool for uncertain times. For the next months, Headspace is offering for free a section called “Weathering the storm,” which includes meditation, sleep, and movement exercises.
▪️ Journaling
Journaling is one of my favorite routines. I know that not a lot of people feel the same way. However, during anxious and stressful times journaling can definitely help you to feel a little better because while you are putting a lot of emotion on paper, this can alleviate your anxiety. One framework comes from writer Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way, which is basically to write three pages as soon as you wake up without putting much thought into it. You should write everything that comes to your mind without any judgment in order to extract deeper thoughts. It might be a good idea to try that out. You can even use an app for it too. There are many options out there, including the old school pen and paper (my favorite).
▪️ Learn a New Language
I love learning a new language. It’s fascinating to learn more about another culture while learning their language. I enjoy reading books in their original language or to speak the local language when you travel. We always feel we don’t have enough time, but while WFH, you can start to incorporate some Duolingo time in your calendar to finally learn/improve that language you always wanted to try or master.
▪️ Virtual Concerts to Watch
I know, this is crazy. We’re all adapting, and this is an interesting fact about human beings. I love to attend concerts, and there are a lot of virtual concerts happening out there already. Take a look to see if any artist you like is offering this option. This is also a nice way to support small bands during this difficult time.
▪️ Stick to Your Routines
We have so many distractions when we’re WFH. There’s the house you want to clean and organize. The tv is out there. You might have more people in your house also WFH, and for those who have kids, there’s even more complexity. My suggestion is to try to stick to your routine as much as you can. Wake up at the same time. Take a lunch break. Take breaks during working hours. Exercise, and make sure you’re taking care of your mental health.
▪️ Online Learning
I’m a big consumer of LinkedIn Learning. There’s a lot of good content out there. I strongly suggest you take care of your mind during this period. LinkedIn Learning offers a free 30-day trial period, and you should take advantage of that. I know most of us have never lived through something like this pandemic before and staying inspired can be a huge help.
▪️ Virtual Trip to a Museum
I miss going to museums. Fortunately, there are a lot of virtual museum trips available. The best part is that with no lines, you can stare at your favorite painting for as long as you wish and hopefully be transported to another beautiful dimension while you do it. My favorites are the Musée d’Orsay, MoMa, Van Gogh Museum, and Tate, but there are so many others in this list that I’ve never explored.
How are you doing? I hope you’re doing fine in spite of what’s going on today. I also hope we all learn how to create a better way to live in society, causing less harm to the environment and the non-human animals out there. I’d love to hear your suggestions. I’m planning to do a WFH series with your ideas and would love to hear your thoughts.
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