Interestingly for the past several years, remote work has been high on the list of coveted employee benefits. Now many employees who are working from home face an imperfect reality. Many are understandably fearful about Coronavirus crisis, as well as its economic and job market impact. They may be trying to figure out the best tools to allow them to work from home, especially if they’ve never done so before. In some cases, they’re confined to houses or flats with family members, children, or roommates who have their own work or school demands.
With the combination of stress, fear and other strong emotions, as well as the demands of home and work life, a person’s mindset is starting to be impacted negatively. Here are some tips to help build a positive mindset during this challenging time:
Acknowledge the impact
Working from home can be more challenging than it seems. Prepare to be surprised at how difficult the transition is. Your home is filled with distractions you simply don’t encounter at work, especially if you have other people living, working, or trying to get school work done.
As a result, it’s essential to be as patient as possible. This is not the time to expect perfection. You need to give yourself some time to adjust to the new normal, figure out your schedule and how to work effectively from home, as well as what habits and tips work for you.
Create a routine
While there may be many factors beyond your personal control now, including a loss of predictability, you can exert some control and familiarity by sticking to a schedule. If you have young or elderly people in your life, that predictability can be very comforting. So, get up at a reasonable time, get dressed, and have a plan for your day. At the same time, don’t be too rigid. Try not to overschedule yourself and include breaks if you can.
Manage your information intake
While you’re home, it’s easy to check in on social media whenever you like and perhaps have the television on in the background. However, the constant barrage of news is only going to elevate your anxiety and stress. It’s important to stay informed, but you probably don’t need to listen to every breaking news report, which just stirs anxiety throughout the day without adding anything you need to know.
Recognise your needs
For some people who crave the social interaction of the office, working from home can hold unexpected drawbacks. If you’re an extrovert and you really are driven by being around other people, and then all of a sudden, maybe you’re working from your home space and you don’t have that person to person connection, that can be really hard. And then of course, if you are a person who needs privacy and you suddenly have your two kids and a spouse at home, it’s not the normal environment you are in.
If you’re feeling isolated or lonely, loom to use group chats, videoconferences, and more frequent phone calls to get the connection you need. If you are someone who needs time alone to think or recharge, discuss that need with your family and work on getting that time into your schedule.
Streamline
We all have to acknowledge that this is not a normal time. Trying to pretend that you’re just doing business as usual, but from home, isn’t correct, and adjustments need to be made. Work with your team to identify essential areas of focus and save your energy for those tasks, meetings, and priorities.
Keep up good practices
While some joke about snacking or drinking to manage the stress, it’s more important than ever to keep up your healthy habits. Stay hydrated, get some exercise and fresh air, eat healthfully, and avoid too much alcohol or sugar. Taking care of yourself in these ways is also going to have a positive impact on your mindset.
