How To Work From Home Without Losing Your Mind

This coronavirus is becoming quite the little nuisance!

As the virus spreads across the country, more and more businesses are asking their employees to stay home.

No, I’m not talking about going home for a fun staycation. Businesses are wanting their employee to work remotely from home.

This sounds like fun for five minutes — until you actually have to experience being STUCK working from home.

Often times “working from home” means that the job really doesn’t end. There isn’t a set start and stop time. You just end up working all of the time, and it can be a bit stressful.

Not only that. You can start to go a bit stir crazy, as you don’t have your co-workers to talk to. It can be very isolating, and feel almost claustrophobic.

So, how do you cope with working at home?

How To Work From Home Without Losing Your Mind

Take Small Breaks Throughout The Day

You don’t just sit at your desk all day when you’re at the office. There are times you get up to go get coffee. You chat with co-workers as you walk by their desks. You even take that personal phone call once in a while.

Do the same things while you are at home. Don’t just try to muscle through the whole day. You will get overwhelmed and fatigued REALLY quickly.

You will actually probably find you are MORE productive if you give yourself five minutes to breathe and get your mind off what you’re working on.

Be Social

Just because you are stuck at home, doesn’t mean you have to hide out in isolation. You still need that human interaction, like you get when you are at work.

Stay connected with your co-workers. Set up Facetime meetings once a day, just to check in and check everyone.

Set up a direct message chat — like on Slack — where you can stay in social contact with other human beings.

Keep A Task Sheet

Traditional work days are pretty structured. There is a time to start work, a time for meetings, a time for lunch, a time for that conference call, and a time to go home.

When you are stuck at home, it can feel a bit like you are floundering to stay on task and get things done.

Make yourself a task sheet — like a to-do list. Write down everything you need to get done, and then check it off.

You will find you are MUCH MORE productive this way. It gives structure to a day that has been stripped of all structure.

You Have To Set Clear Boundaries, And Stick To Them

Have a clear and precise time that you are going to allow yourself to work — like from 8am-5pm.

I am speaking from 100% experience here — if you let yourself slip outside of these boundaries, it’s all over. It’s slippery slope, and you will slide right off.

You DON’T want to set the precedent that you are available 24-7, because then you will find yourself ALWAYS WORKING.

You need to have your time to work, but you also need your ME time — your time to decompress from that job.

MOST OF ALL — take care of yourself!