This post is in conjunction with a series of blog posts titled “Thoughts on 2020”.
Being in quarantine due to the Coronavirus is difficult. Before the news of COVID and quarantine, I was already home due to being unemployed. A couple of weeks before the shutdown took place, my contract job ended. I was home a couple of weeks before the shutdown happened. It was rough being at home during that time. I worried about how long it would take for me to land a new job. Luckily for me, it didn’t take too long. It took me about three weeks to land another job.
I got excited, hoping I was heading back to work and the outside world. I was honestly mistaken. Once the pandemic began, only essential workers were allowed to be outside. The reason for this was to reduce physical contact with other people. I was only able to go out for errands. The beginning of quarantine was rough. I was starting a new job and learning how to work from home. Productivity was a massive obstacle for me. There were lulls in my periods of being attentive and productive.
It was hard staring at the laptop all day. Being in several video calls was draining. What helped me adjust was voicing to my manager about my struggles. I made sure she understood that I was adjusting to a new job and working at home. Another thing I did was I created a mini office space in my apartment. I had a wooden desk that was being unused. I decided to clean it up and use it. I ended up buying a computer chair to go with it as well. My job provided me with a monitor and a keyboard.
Below is a list of things I did to improve my working from home experience.
- Creating A Office Space
Before having an office space, I was working in my bedroom. It was tough to separate work from life. In general, it wasn’t easy to complete my work. I wasn’t as productive because I was lying in my bed while typing on my laptop. Once I created my space, I was able to separate work from the bedroom. Plus, it reminded me of being in an office.
2. Reach Out To Your Employer
Your employers are also working from home. They have tips and tricks that can help improve the experience. I know my employers also provided advice and counseling to deal with this time. Employers know that their employees are dealing with a lot, so they want to make this time more manageable.
3. Schedule Your Day/Create A Routine
I recently got myself a planner. I use it to help plan my day. Doing this prepares me for the next day. Knowing how my day will be in advance helps me navigate it better. You can create a routine too. Once you start planning your days, you can also establish a system. That can better help you work from home. Even if you can’t entirely create or stick to a routine, at least have one thing in your day that stays the same. You will look forward to that one thing during your day.
Since adopting the things that I mentioned on my list, I am more adjusted to quarantine and working from home. I upgraded my desk to a bigger one with more space for my work equipment. I brought a Passion Planner, and I use it to schedule my day and week. A big thing that has worked for me is keeping one thing in my day constant. For me, that is working out. Since the gyms are closed, I started working out at home. The work that I do is different each day, but knowing I am working out after the workday helps. It creates a work-life balance. Now, I can work from home for the rest of the year.
