7 Ways to Stay Sane As You Work From Home

Many of you may relate to our thoughts and feelings over the past couple of weeks. We vacillate between staying positive and being really frustrated and overwhelmed while attempting to work, support clients and colleagues, taking care of family, and homeschooling. Fortunately for us, we are “pros” at working from home and have a few important tips for everyone who finds themselves creating makeshift offices at your kitchen table or living room. HERE is a complimentary working at home assessment designed to help you understand the best ways to be productive using your personal behavior style. Results go directly to your inbox.

Here are seven important tips to help you stay sane as you work from home:

1) Develop a routine

Wake up at your normal time and get dressed. By doing so, you maintain a sense of normalcy and this small task will help get you in the mindset to have a productive workday.

2) Designate a workspace

Designate a spot in your home to be your new office. As tempting as it is to work from the couch, having a designated “office” in your home will greatly increase productivity and keep distractions at bay.

3) Plan out your day

• Take the first 30 minutes of your day and plan what you want to accomplish.
• Set goals and timelines and do your best to stick to them.

4) Over communicate with your co-workers and boss

• Sometimes working from home can be lonely if you are used to a bustling office where you can walk to the next cube or office for a little human interaction. Utilize things like Skype or Zoom to do video calls instead of emailing.
• Curb management worry about lack of productivity when not in the office by over communicating about what you are doing and task deadlines.

5) Get some exercise and fresh air

• If you can, take a break during the day and go for a walk. Getting some fresh air will reinvigorate you to finish the day.
• A lot of the exercises we love are doing live streaming of classes for free.

6) Turn it off

• Turn off the news for extended periods of time during the day. It’s understandable that we want to be “in the know” about what’s happening in our communities, our state, our country and our world in relation to COVID-19. However, excess drama and negativity is bad for your mindset. Take a few moments to update yourself on the day’s news and then turn it off.
• If you have young children, be sure that they are not sitting in front of the TV hearing the news being shared about the current situation. It’s too much for little minds to handle. Inform them at their level in a way that demonstrates that you are positive that your family is safe and will come through these challenges stronger and closer.

7) Technology

• Ensure you have all the technology you need to be as productive as possible.
• Become familiar with the technology you need to use to be productive. Including virtual meeting platforms. Phone calls, emails and virtual video conferencing is the lifeblood for many employers and their employees.

Ultimately, we don’t know how long we will be self-distancing and working from home, so take some time to create the best opportunity for your productivity and success. Even though this may not be the most ideal situation for you, make the best of it. We will all come through this on the other side with a new appreciation for many things, most certainly the fact that we can move back to our office spaces in our respective organizations. For those that are sharing a kitchen table workspace with your spouse and kids, that day will certainly be something to celebrate!

If you have questions or want more information about this report or others that can be helpful to your teams while working from home, please contact Rachel Lutowsky at rlutowsky@fahrenheitadvisors.com or call 480-266-6927.

About the Authors

Rachel Lutowsky helps develop Fahrenheit’s business by building and maintaining strong relationships with corporate level executives and referral sources and providing clients with customized strategies for solving their challenges and growing their business. As Fahrenheit West’s managing director, she also leads and manages the office’s consultants and operations.

Tameron Hubbard brings experience in leadership search engagements for roles in finance and accounting, information technology, human resources, and operations with a focus on the healthcare and insurance industries. She utilizes Fahrenheit’s customized recruiting approach by understanding a company’s business, industry, and culture and then connecting with candidates who have the qualifications, experience, and personal characteristics to succeed and prosper in that organization. Tameron’s career also includes leading the successful start up of a regional staffing company’s branch office where she specialized in business development, sourcing, and talent selection.