Week one of social distancing, working from home and homeschooling has been bumpy. Even though our team has worked remotely for 15+ years, work and life are anything but normal these days. With kids home from school, confused about why they can’t see friends or play video games all day, the universal struggle is real.
We have found some silver linings. My kids are reading a ton and creating forts and works of art. They even completed two loads of laundry, albeit with screen time mixed in. And, hey – I’ve accomplished some work tasks as well. A few days into this new dynamic with years of experience working from home, here are my two cents on smoothing out the bumpy ride we’re on:
1) Set your working hours but also carve out a chunk of time to recharge with self-care or an activity with the kids
2) Establish realistic daily goals – accomplishing short-term tasks can boost our moods and productivity
3) Long term outlooks are no longer clear – set short bursts of time to address what if scenarios, accept worries about the unknown and plan accordingly
4) Take breaks – this is even more important when there are few opportunities to get out
5) Calls and video chats will include more background noise like dogs and kids – appreciate the sounds of life and get to know your coworkers, clients and partners on a more personal level – we are all in this together.