7 Working-From-Home Hacks when Social Distancing
Are you having a hard time working from home? You are not alone!
Social distancing and self-isolation is tough, at least for most of us! Since the COVID-19 era started, we went from seeing our colleagues every day to staring at our screens alone in our apartment or house. Working remotely can be hard, and can lower both productivity and wellbeing. It definitely requires a level of self-care and discipline that we’re not used to. It can also get lonely and increase anxiety. If you’re struggling with stress, balance or productivity while working from home, here are our best tips!
Setting up and shutting down your home office.
First things first: set up a temporary office space in your home. Add plants, candles or beautiful prints, fluffy unicorns – whatever you need to create a positive space where you feel can get things done. Physically separating your office desk from the rest of your home is, of course, the best alternative. Don’t have an extra room in your home? Try working from the kitchen table, just make sure to set up a workstation and shut down properly at night by storing away your computer and notes. It is so important to physically store away your work - it will make it easier to disconnect and relax at night.
Be your own boss.
One of the most important aspects of working from home is establishing boundaries and creating work rules for yourself. You can end up working longer hours if you aren’t setting proper goals for yourself. Begin each day by taking the time to schedule everything you need to do that day. Make a list and tick off the things you’ve done. Hold yourself accountable by sharing your daily goals with coworkers or friends. Get in the zone by pulling together a cheerful playlist or listen to podcasts to stay inspired.
Need a little break? Fill your cup with a soothing tea or coffee and add a couple of drops of CBD oil to stay balanced and harmonised.
Create routines.
When you go to the office every day, you probably have a set of habits that get you from your bed to your desk. Make sure to keep your routines up when working remotely or take the opportunity to create new healthy routines. For example, use the time of your commute to take a refreshing morning walk or cook that elaborate recipe you didn't get around trying.
Get dressed and feel fabulous.
Get dressed in a new and cute outfit every morning. Do your hair and makeup if you want. Show up for yourself like you would for anyone else. Pants optional.
Keep your body working!
Now more than ever it is important to keep your body going. Go for a walk outside but keep your distance from other people. Getting fresh air will improve your mood and moving your body will decrease anxiety and get better sleep. Also, it will strengthen your immune system. Practicing yoga and meditation helps to ground and re-center. There are tons of free workout and yoga classes online so there is no excuse! Check out our free online resources. 
Take regular breaks.
Set an alarm every hour for a break. Stretch for a minute, dance a little, walk around your apartment or water your plants. At the office, you probably get these breaks naturally by taking a coffee with a colleague or walking from meeting to meeting so you should definitely not feel bad for taking them.
Socialize remotely.
Reach out and say hello to a friend or family member at least once a day. Even if it’s just a quick text, try to stay connected with the people around you and show that you care. This is important not only for your well-being but also for the well-being of those around you. Nobody is alone in this! Schedule a virtual after-work with your friends, pour yourself a glass of wine or kombucha and catch up. Have dinner with your mom over FaceTime or organize a Netflix-party —there are tools for syncing up Netflix across multiple computers. We have at our disposal a suite of communication technologies that people who lived through previous pandemics couldn’t have imagined. It has never been easier to be social at a distance!
As we navigate this new reality, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, sad or distracted. Being cooped up at home will likely prompt feelings of loneliness and isolation and that’s completely normal. It is not easy to set up a healthy routine from day one so be patient with yourself. There is no “right way” of working during this time. We just need to remember that this will not last forever and we will get through this together. Before we know it we will all be back at the office!