Most people’s daily routine has changed dramatically since the beginning of the year. You may feel that things are constantly changing, and you are not sure what to do or where to focus. The way you do your morning routine, market in the midst of a pandemic, or connect with clients are all different. There’s nothing like the atmosphere at an agency. But as the weeks went on, we began to find our balance in an unstable and shaky work environment.
The Power Digital team has compiled a list of the ten best things they have found to help individuals regain stability as we redefine our daily schedule.
Dressing for Impressions…Our Motivation of the Day
Remote working can be beneficial, such as avoiding the daily commute or working in your sweats and yoga pants. Video conferences are on the rise, and remote workers have a renewed need to look professional. We found that dressing up for a “normal day at the office” was the best way to motivate us for the rest of the day. This habit of dressing for a “day at the office” has helped us to bring the creativity behind the OOTD into all other aspects of our lives.
Stepping into another Perspective
The transition to remote working has impacted my step count, and I am unable to reach the 10k goal a day because of being restricted to my home. This goal can be achieved by taking it outdoors. It not only gives you a new physical space to explore but also allows for a distance from the anxiety that may have been affecting your workday. Sometimes, it’s hard to separate work from your home life. It can feel like you never stop thinking about work. Making time for outdoor activities a regular part of your day can have a huge impact. Fresh air is good for the mind and can improve your sleep, especially if it’s in a greener environment like the great outdoors.
Skip Meals? Not Here!
It’s easy to forget to eat a healthy meal when you are busy working, but it is important to get the nutrients your body needs to perform at its best. Do not forget to give yourself a “Bio Break”! Refueling with nutrients other than caffeine will help you get through your workday. Don’t grab another Keurig at 11:45 am. To increase alertness and refreshment, step away and eat some nuts, bananas, and yogurt.
Set Your Daily Intention
Focusing on 1-3 major goals for the day helped prioritize the growing list of tasks at work and home. These daily intentions led to a steady, one-by-one approach of knocking items off the list and feeling progress each day. It doesn’t matter if you do it at the end or beginning of the day, but setting daily intentions is a great tool to stay on track. This will improve your productivity and bring motivation to your WFH routine.
Mindfulness
Distractions still exist and are real, even though you’re in quarantine. Meditation or breathing exercises can help us stay centered in the face of distractions from both our thoughts and the environment around us. No matter if you’re new to self-checking in or have been doing it for a long time, learning to block out noise is an activity that will continue. Remote working can be challenging at times, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
A muddy brain will lead to burnout, fatigue, and stress. Here are some suggestions from members of our team to get you started and stay consistent. “Breathe,” available on your Apple Watch, “Calm,” or “Headspace,” which are subscription-based platforms, will help you to make time to focus on your mental health.
Establishing Accountability
Even if you have the best of intentions, it’s not enough to achieve work-life harmony. This is especially true when there aren’t many people around. It’s important to track personal and professional goals and keep them accountable by creating daily video standups. It’s also an excellent motivation to shower and dress before your daily video standup so that you are ready for the day.
Create your own space…and then a backup space.
It’s important to have a separate space for an “office.” However, if others share your house then this “office” may be next to your TV or where your boyfriend plays loud video games in the afternoon. It would be best if you always had a place where you can get some privacy or quiet quickly.
Be transparent about your expectations.
In these times, it’s perfectly acceptable that not everyone will set the same “working” hours. It’s a big shift in thinking to realize that just because someone sends you a message at 9 pm, it doesn’t necessarily mean they expect a response immediately. Set clear hours and times with your manager. Decide what works best for you and how you can be most accessible to your team. You can use your Google Calendar to display your working hours. In Slack, you can set your away time, and in Asana, you can update your working hours. Don’t be rushed to answer those Slack brain dumps at midnight!
Clock out / “Go home”
You may feel like you’re working longer hours because your “office,” which is always visible, is always within sight. Create and adhere to a strict schedule for when you “clock in” and “clock out” so that this feeling is not created. You won’t feel compelled to check emails and Slack after these hours. Allow yourself to switch off from the work mode and continue your day as if you had been in an office. Leave your desk when you’re done with the day. Unwind. You can take a walk around your neighborhood, cook dinner with your roommates, or enjoy a drink after a long day at work.
Exercise
Never underestimate what a bit of exercise can accomplish for you. Exercise has become a part of our daily routine, just like our commute to work. Gyms are closed, classes in person have been paused, and our peers may not be around to ask us, “how sore you are from that class last evening?” We might feel a little lost when it comes to motivation to start a workout regimen. Start small if that’s all you have to do. Donate 15 minutes per day, then 25, and then 30.
It would be best if you always did what you think is best for you, whether you have an excellent work-life balance already or are still learning to juggle everything. It is important to find out what works best for you. Give yourself grace and kindness as you know how to achieve this balance between work and home.
