If you were used to working from home before the quarantine, you’re lucky.
For many of us, working from home is a brand new territory we’re suddenly navigating on unforseen levels. And first times for anything are hard. Brene Brown recently wrote about FFTs (or what she politely calls “effing first times): anytime we’re doing anything for the first time, our brains are literally building new neural pathways to keep up. The side effects? Higher stress and anxiety.
Add in a heavy dose of future uncertainty (“When will this end? Will I ever be back in the office? Is my future one big Zoom meeting?”), and it’s kind of a nightmare. Personally, after three months working from home, I’ve moved from my FFT for some serious lessons learned:
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Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries!
Keeping a healthy work/life balance is incredibly hard when working at home. If you haven’t already, create distinct spaces for your work and home life. This mental trick works even if you’re just throwing up a divider between your bed and desk, or carving a small home office into your closet.
Don’t forget to separate your time by blocking out distinct work periods to establish boundaries. You can also use rituals and routines to jump into “work mode.” For example, when I pour my coffee, put on pants, and sit down at my laptop, I know I’m in “work mode.” When I take off my glasses and close my laptop, it’s time for “home mode.”
This divide has to be spelled out to the people you see on a daily basis. Make sure your family knows not to bother you when you’re in your home office. Be clear with coworkers about your work/life balance goals, and share your schedule with teammates so they know when you’re available and when you’re not.
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Self-care is not optional.
Self-care may look different during quarantine, but it’s more important than ever. Make sure there’s a balance across each domain of self-care — physical, emotional/spiritual, and mental — and use our checklist to track them. Get in the habit of self-care by scheduling it as an appointment that can’t be skipped. Don’t forget, self-care can be as simple as a 10-minute stretch, taking a work call on a walk, or eating regular healthy snacks.
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Seek out help and support from your “village.”
If you’re home with your partner or family, check in regularly about each others’ needs and how you can support each other. If you’re sharing a “pod” with a small group of “quaranteamers,” figure out how to divvy up responsibilities to help all of you better manage your work/life balance. This might mean sharing childcare to help provide focused work times for parents, preparing meals together, or sharing grocery delivery orders. Even simple acts of connection can help create a sense of togetherness, decrease feelings of isolation, and ease the stress of maintaining a work/life balance.
Our world is changing, and so are our workplaces — but that doesn’t mean that your days should be spent wallowing in the same anxiety you felt during your FFT. Don’t hesitate to seek out support from friends, family, and coworkers as needed, and to experiment to find what works for you.