On Sunday, March 22, Governor John Bel Edwards took measures to further help the state of Louisiana slow the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). He has now encouraged more businesses to close their main offices and buildings. This means that more and more people are working from home.
For some, working from home is nothing new but for many this is a new challenge to stay motivated and focused over long periods of time.
Here are some tips to help you stay healthy while you make the transition to working from home.
- For starters, develop a schedule! Have it replicate your normal work schedule to the best of your ability. This will help keep a sense of normalcy during such an uncertain time.
“Get up every morning as if you are going into the office,” Kandis Vaughn-Thomas of Magee Resource Group says. “Get out of your pajamas, shower, brush your teeth…whatever your morning routine is and then go to work.”
Set up and organize a place for you to work. When you do this, it is important to avoid beds or sofas. These can be places your brain associates with relaxing and getting comfortable. - In your new workspace, make sure you set boundaries. Turn off the TV nearby and make sure your notifications for social media apps are turned off.
- Avoid working in the dark. Keep the lights on, use lamps, or even natural light. Place your workspace by a window if possible. Working in the dark can lead to tiredness.
- Stay in communication with your coworkers and boss. Don’t be afraid to ask for items you need to allow you to work from home. Do you need a laptop or tablet and the company you work for has one? Consider asking them to allow you to take it home so you can work remotely.
- Write down all the passwords to your business-related accounts. If you are working from your personal use computer or tablet, you will most likely need to log in to your email and other accounts that you use during your daily tasks. Make sure you have access to this information to help make the transition of working from home less frustrating from having to update multiple passwords.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and increase your body’s ability to focus. Don’t eat unhealthy snacks in your workplace either! Consider eating power foods like blueberries, dark chocolate, and even coffee.
- Are you easily distracted? If you are, make sure you take frequent breaks and take at least 30 minutes for lunch. Avoid household duties during your work time but rather, use your break to complete tasks like laundry, straightening up around the house, or cooking.
Even though you may not be able to walk around the aisles of your favorite stores, have lunch at your favorite restaurant with a friend, or get to catch up with your favorite coworker, it is important that you remove yourself from your work. Talk a walk outside with your dog. Facetime a friend or family member. If you have kids, play a game with them! Remember, they are figuring out a new normal as well!
Last but not least, stay positive! Though this is a confusing time and many events have been canceled, take heart in knowing this is temporary. By distancing yourself and working from home, you are helping flatten the curve!