Are you working from home for the first time? Or is this coronavirus quarantine making your work life feel a bit more tense and trying than usual?
We get it.
Which is why - as a seasoned remote team - HOLI. Brands is using our very first blog to share some of our top work from home tips, and a few tips we’ve picked up from around the Internet this week. Now, this won’t be comprehensive at all. But, it will definitely help.
And don’t worry, we’ll be back with more work from home (WFH) tips as you need them, or as this world-wide quarantine develops.
Whether you’re a student, creative entrepreneur, intrapreneur (that’s a person who promotes innovation, someone who acts like an entrepreneur within a company, btw), or one of many key staff members that keep the world’s businesses running daily, moving your work from a people-filled office to your home can be taxing, to say the least.
Maybe you have a working partner at home; maybe you’ve got kids, or pets; maybe it’s just you, alone with all your thoughts and a mounting (or surprisingly empty) to do list. Either way, extreme and abrupt shifts in our daily living can increase our stress levels , and simultaneously make us feel unsafe, as we’re separated from our core groups of belonging - our coworkers, friends, extended family, even the cashier at our corner or drug stores who know us by name. When you add to that the false sense of lack created through impulse buying and hoarding, and not being able to find some of our staple food items in stores as easily, there’s more than enough to make us feel scared, alone, even anxious and depressed.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Below, are a few tips that we hope help you feel grounded, connected, and cared for as we make it through this global pandemic together.
Covid-19 Work From Home Tips (and a few things to keep you connected)
Our founding partner, Holley M. Kholi-Murchison, shared THIS USEFUL TIP for proactively scheduling out your day.
And our other founding partner, Dr. Carrie Kholi-Murchison, has been keeping us connected with communal knowledge. Check out these Coronavirus Check-ins and what your extended community is learning and sharing together.
And now, a quick rundown of some tips we’ve collected from you all and the deep dark corners of the Internet.
Make sure to stick to a routine as much as possible.
Try a morning meditation to clear your head and focus your mind.
Wear whatever makes you feel best and most productive - sweats, or a suit; it’s all you choice now that you’ve got significantly fewer coworkers.
Plan your meals - even your snacks. This way you don’t spend all day wandering between your workspace and the kitchen.
Consistently plan your outdoor time. Make sure you give yourself enough fresh air, and sunshine if it’s possible.
Keep your workspace clean and/or organized.
Make sure you check in with your people - and not just your work people. After a long day at your new “office,” be sure to connect with friends or family that keep you energized via phone or FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, or Google Hangout.
Don’t overcompensate for social distancing by over-scheduling calls and video chats. Remember that you still need the space to think and work creatively.
Most importantly, don’t be afraid to break the rules! - We’ve given you a quick rundown of things that can help. But only you know what makes you feel safe, loved, and able to get through each day. So be sure to stay connected to yourself, and focus on what works for you. You got this.
If you liked these tips, feel free to share them with a friend. Also, if you’ve got a tip we should consider, or something that’s helping keep you safe and sane in these times, leave them in the comments below!