Working from home

How to stay on track and avoid distractions

**Please refer to the CDC and your local and state governments for safety and other information related to COVID-19

A lot of people are fortunate to be given the option to work from home, something I have been doing for the past two and a half years, and there are a lot of things that can help you stay focused. However, right now we are all distracted by the what-ifs and are glued to the TV or Twitter. I wrote about tips on working from home a few months back, actually, and figured it was worth updating with everything going on.

The previous post focused on adjusting your at-home routine to keep the distractions away (the couch, Netflix, the fridge, etc.), including making sure to set yourself up for success for squeezing in a workout during the day. The main thing to remember is you have work to do, and if you sidetrack during the day, that means you can’t sidetrack later in the evening. Keeping a schedule as similar to your at work schedule is important. But, it also helps to think about where your time is used for your off site job – commuting, especially. I now use that hour-plus I used to spend in the car for the morning and catching up on news and emails while having breakfast and coffee, for example.

Here are ways to help during your work from days:

• Limit your time spent on Twitter, news outlets, etc. It can get distracting and also take our focus away. It is important to stay informed, but think about scheduling a few 15 minute “breaks” during the day to see if there is anything new, rather than getting sucked into a scrolling spiral.

• Set reminders to get up every hour and walk around. Without the distractions of a typical office/co-workers, you can end up sitting longer than you have realized. Get outside, too! The CDC has said taking walks or exercising outside is safe, as long as you keep the social distancing and other preventative measures in mind as well.

• Check in on your co-workers and clients. Everyone is handling the news differently, and checking in is a good way to stay connected to your team and do wellness checks.

• Set up FaceTime (or whatever video chat you use) calls with friends working from home for “social breaks.” We check in on our friends and family during most work days as it is, but with people working from home who thrive on social interactions, this can be isolating and lonely. Video chats are a nice way to stay connected!

• For video conferencing, I have loved seeing the feature from Zoom that allows you to pick a background for your video meeting. Not everyone has a dedicated home office, and taking calls from your couch or bedroom should be the last thing to stress about.

• Take a lunch break. And if you can (health and safety wise), order food for pick up from a local establishment. Places like GrubHub have suspended restaurateur fees, so you can rest assure ordering online will go to the restaurant.

Also, not everyone has the opportunity to work from home, and are faced with school closures and finding care for their young children. There are plenty of places to donate to if you are in a position to help out, so please reach out to your local charities or national groups you support during this time.

Stay safe out there!