Struggles and Tips for Working From Home

Almost a month since I started working from home, I’m already kinda getting the hang of it. Below is a summary of my struggles and how I’m trying to cope up.

There is no separation between work hours and personal time.

1. Wear your company ID. I ceremoniously wear my company ID to start each day’s work. It reminds me that I am being paid, and so I must not slack off. And then at the end of each work day, there’s nothing more rewarding than putting it back in my dresser. It frees my mind — somehow — from thinking about work until the next day.
2. Eat lunch. Skipping lunch is my thing, especially when I’m busy working on something. That’s why breakfasts are important to me. Unless I munch on something while working, my next food intake would already be dinner (that is if I decide to have one). I usually just go out for lunch when either I’m bored, or my mind needs a reboot. Continuing with this habit can be dangerous when working from home (even when not, I know), so I’m trying to change it. I now take midday breaks and, as much as possible, tries to consume the entire hour. I turn my computer off and put my phone in airplane mode. If I don’t find myself hungry, I would take a nap instead.
3. Only work during set hours. Doing so doesn’t mean one is lazy. Allocating the most prime hours of each day working is already more than enough. Letting work creep into your personal time will suck you dry and leave you lifeless. This time is also a high time to work on or discover any creative pursuits. Being locked up doesn’t mean that life has to revolve around work.
4. Take a day-off. I haven’t taken any special day-off yet, but I’m planning to do so as a preventive measure for possible burnout. I plan to just lounge around, read, and sleep. I believe a break off work, aside from weekends, will be a good investment for me to stay sane and survive the ensuing days.

I am not productive.

1. Set one goal for each day. On top of my usual schedule, I would identify one thing that I would like to work on. Of course, still related to work, but that is something more creative, and exciting. With all the meetings, reports, and people bothering you about the minutiae, things can easily get busy with the unimportant; it is not impossible to feel very exhausted and yet still feel unproductive. Working on something I like helps make each day count.
2. Start early. Avoid meeting rush hours. Clocking in early gets more things done and also makes me less worrisome about completing the required work hours later in the day. A possible drawback, however, would be having to stay late for those who clocked in late.
3. Set alarms for meetings. At the start of each day, as usual, I copy meeting schedules from our company web-app to my planner — especially now that access can be limited; and then set an alarm five minutes before each meeting. Unlike in the office where a colleague can remind me for a meeting, I now have to do it by myself. Five minutes is enough to wrap any preceding meeting.
4. Be patient. Performing some tasks may take more time than they used to be. Sometimes, being patient and recalibrating expectations is the best thing to do.

I still prefer working in the office.

1. Tidy up your workspace. I do not live in a fancy apartment. I work in my living room, which also happens to be my bed (and dining) room. Everything is within arm’s reach. To avoid distraction, everything must be kept tidy. I make sure to stow away my futon lest I would be attracted to lie down. All work related mess must also be cleared after work. I have a box where I simply dump everything and voila! everything is gone.
2. Try standing up. Unlike in the office where I have fancy ergonomic chair, I do not have that in my apartment. I just sit on the floor. However, just sitting the entire day — in a squat or cross-legged — builds so much tension that it hurts my back. Now, as an alternative, I stacked some boxes to serve as my standing desk. I still do sit from time to time, but would stand during meetings. It keeps me on my toes — almost quite literally.
3. Play some music. In the office, I listen (or at least make myself appear listening) to music to help me zone out and focus on what I’m doing. This time, I play some music to mask monotony and forget the I am alone. I explored different genres — pop, rock, classical piano, and even OPM (Original Pilipino Music). But for now, I’m sticking with jazz. If only it is allowed to have background music during meetings, it will definitely make things more fun.

I feel stressed.

1. Take this time to learn. Most likely, working from home will be part of the new normal. Experiment on new routines that will help you get the most out of your day. Find out what works and does not work. Review processes, identify which ones to retain, change, and discontinue. It may also be helpful to start getting comfortable with the fact that things will not get easier and so it’s better to be prepared
2. Be easy on yourself (and to others). When it comes to productivity, there are also highs and lows — and it is normal. It pays to know in which part of productivity cycle you are in so you can act accordingly. Accept that there are days that you are just not into working. As much as we want to be consistent and make everything happen according to plan, it is just difficult, if not impossible. Doing what you can do is what you can only do, and that is enough. Also, realizing that you are not the only one who is struggling will also help you save other people some slack.
3. Be grateful. Not everyone has the privilege of working from home. A hurting back from sitting all day or having to deal with intermittent internet connection does not compare from being put into forced leave or, worse, being laid off. In this time of crisis, being grateful with the little things is one of the best things you can do.
4. Take care of your mental health. Not knowing how far are we already into this pandemic and when and how it will end can be a very uneasy situation. Things can easily go mental. Acknowledge anxieties to help healing, but be careful dwelling into these feelings too much. No one knows what will happen next and worrying about it does not make the situation better. For now, just remember “this, too, shall pass”. We will all see this through.