Working Remotely During Uncertain Times

I am an extravert. I need people and social settings. People help charge my batteries. I was having this discussion with a few co-workers on a Zoom call and we were talking about our different personalities. I mentioned I was an extravert and being under quarantine feels like what I imagine prison to be. Being around people makes me happy and it’s tough not to have that. It’s been very mentally challenging day after day, but I keep pushing forward and hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel. Then there’s the matter of working remotely which is not only possible but of course entirely plausible (I mean hey, we’re doing it right?).

Home is now the space for family living, work, and homeschooling all under one roof. This, of course, presents some challenges, but also offers an opportunity for new experiences. The other day, I was working on my couch sitting next to my two-year-old son while he was enjoying an episode of Blippi on an iPad. I thought to myself, how unique is this situation where I get to see him for multiple hours each day. I am used to seeing him just briefly in the morning and then for an hour or so at night during dinner and then bedtime. At that moment I felt like I was getting to know my son and interacting with him in an entirely new way we had not experienced before. I am truly thankful for this extra time with my family. (But I am excited to get back to the office too, and hopefully soon).

From all of this craziness, I have discovered some things that are working well for my situation and for my family and hope someone might also benefit from what is for working for me. These tips are helping me stay focused, be productive, and strengthen my mental state.

Tips for Success:

• Keep a consistent work schedule — Set your hours just like you would at the office. Try to stick to a routine. Have a consistent start time, lunchtime, and end of work time. This helps bring normalcy to your day, otherwise, the hours will just stretch into the night, likely leaving you with projects and tasks hanging over your head.
• Hold weekly and daily planning sessions — Planning is a key to success during this time because it is so easy to get distracted. Plan out all of your big items on Sunday night for the week to come. Know what you need to accomplish and who can help you accomplish your goals.
• Reward yourself when you complete your checklist — Nothing feels better than crossing something off a checklist, em’ I right? Make a checklist every day for details on what you need to do. When you have completed your list for the day, reward yourself with your favorite beverage, a nice meal, spend some time with your family, or just binge some Netflix.
• Don’t forget about your new coworkers — Aka, your spouse/partner, kids, pets, roommates, etc. Giving them a little bit of your time throughout the day goes a long way. As an example, taking a moment to let my six-year-old daughter show me an art project she just finished or the new level she just achieved on ST Math brightens up her day and makes her feel extra loved.
• Positive thinking goes a long way — Using the power of positive thinking, even through meditation, can significantly improve your mental and physical health. I find Dr. Joe Dispenza to be very helpful.
• Take time during the week to have 1:1 with your coworkers — Much of our work-life includes social interaction or even water-cooler conversations. It’s no less important now to connect with co-workers and check in on each other. It’s ok to be a little vulnerable and let our guard down, show a little emotion, it just means you are human.
• Find time to work out and get some exercise — Doing Yoga or other home-based exercises can do wonders on your mental health (and your belly)!
• Find ways to get outside — We take our kids out for a bike ride at the end of each afternoon to get some wiggles out, fresh air, and some sunshine.

Hopefully coming out of this we will have a new appreciation for our family, our coworkers, and let the little things be just that, little. Being cooped up in the house 24/7 can really take a toll on your mental health. I am a huge fan of Dr. Joe Dispenza and his principles of positive thinking and meditation. It is incredibly important to master our thoughts during this time and increase our positive thinking. Time set aside for meditation can do a world of good. Check him out here. I think the main thing is to continue to bring balance to our lives between social, spiritual, mental, and physical. Think about each of these areas and how you can balance your life to feel like yourself. Implementing these tips and positive thinking can help you work remotely in uncertain times, they could even help you thrive and create experiences you will never forget.

One final thought. I want to give a shout out to those single parents out there trying to work, homeschool their kids, and take care of their family. I don’t know how you are doing all of this, but you are rock stars! This situation has really opened up my eyes to the hard work, day in and day out, that goes into raising kids and being a full-time caretaker. For those taking care of a family, it is a 24/7 job, you don’t clock out, and you often go unappreciated. I want you to know, you are appreciated, more than we could ever show. You are the real heroes!

Please reach out to either me directly or to Originate if your team needs some advice on working remotely, we can help.