Working In Isolation: A Survival Guide
Home is no longer a mere base for downtime. For the majority of us it is now our office, gym, school, restaurant and coffee shop all rolled into one whilst in lockdown. We’ve compiled a few tips gathered from the Season team who are well seasoned (excuse the pun!) at working from home, to help bring structure to this new normal and offer some tips for remaining focused because it can be both gratifying and fruitful when you carve out a routine that really works for you.
Your environment set up
It goes without saying that not all of us have a room we can assign as our work space, but you can get creative here. Give your space a mini-refurb by displaying items which may reinforce productivity, such as a family photo frame or a vase of flowers. Make them uplifting! Try and avoid merging a place of rest with a place of work. Research shows, it is important for our brain health to have division if possible.
Daily rituals
A simple, short and sweet list is key to help keep on track. Non-negotiable tasks are those which have to be done everyday and will have the biggest impact on our overall physical and mental health. Think good sleep, hydration (2-3 litres per day), movement (30 minutes+), nutrient dense, regular meals.
Negotiable tasks are those which you wish to complete but can allow to be compromised on certain days. These might be learning tasks such as researching an area of interest, learning a new skill, getting creative in the kitchen, reading that book you’ve been wanting to pick up since last summer or putting pen to paper. The list of opportunity is endless but be realistic with your time.
Establish a morning ritual - it sets a productive tone for the rest of the day. We love to have a warm water + lemon, clear our head with a run, shower, change then get going.
Embrace silence
Modern working life is filled with noise (both literally and metaphorically). Adjusting to silence can feel uncomfortable at first, but embracing the silence can help us to fully slow down and rejuvenate. Silence can be stimulating. Practicing mindfulness ensures we live in the present, rather than placing a never-ending focus on tasks and anticipating the future. If you are feeling low, respond to this feeling in journaling your thoughts, calling someone you love or embarking on a new creative project. Allow these feelings in, but remind yourself that you have the power to reconstruct them. Perhaps listen to a meditation podcast, or practice breathing techniques. We love @headspace and @thebreathguy.
Defining your boundaries
Boundaries serve many functions. They help to protect us, to clarify what is our responsibility and what is another's, to stay focused on ourselves, to identify our limits and to preserve our physical and emotional energy.
One of the main reasons why people who work from home lose focus is because they don’t take enough breaks so schedule yours in and then work calls around them. Just because you’re working from home, it doesn’t mean you’re available at all hours. Plan your call time in. You can automate this too. We love to automate where possible and have detailed some of our favourite productivity hacks in this previous Sunday’s post.
Interruptions can add up without you even realising too. According to estimates based on a number of studies, refocusing your efforts after just one disruption can take up to 23 minutes. That same study found that the average worker switched tasks on average every three minutes. That's a whole lot of lost time and energy. Turn off your notifications.
Get accountable
You’ve set up your workspace, defined your boundaries, practicing self-care. Now ask yourself if you have everything you need to be successful in the space that you’re in. You cannot delegate accountability. If you’re wondering where all your time is going in the day, we recommend apps such as Toggl to keep track of time or Strava if you want to be held accountable for moving - sharing your exercise with family and friends!
