If you’re fortunate enough to have been allowed to work remotely (instead of being laid off or worse), you’ve probably had to figure out how the hell to keep yourself sane during these crazy times. When the boundary between our living space and working space disappears, we can find ourselves working more hours than would be healthy or unhappier if we lack that productivity that brings meaning to our career. Here are a couple of critical observations I’ve made that helped me transition to being fully remote during this time of COVID-19.
One of the first things I noticed when I transitioned to being fully remote was that I began working more. At first, it felt pretty innocuous; I would start answering questions on Slack at 8:50 AM when the usual time I would arrive for work in a pre-Coronavirus world was 9:30 AM. Following this slippery slope, it wasn’t a surprise that soon after the first thing I would do after waking up was check Slack.
What surprised me the most was how much of my mental health was actually bolstered by my morning commute. There was enough time during the drive to San Francisco that I could sit in silence to clear my head, or (on most days) listen to a podcast episode or two, or continue that new audiobook I’ve been addicted to. After some time lacking this essential part of my boot sequence, I found myself unhappy.
Fundamentally, these buffers in life between personal time and work helped bookend the day. Keeping these rituals is vital to ensuring our lives aren’t consumed by work. Decide when you’ll start and end work, and keep the habits around it that benefit to your life.
If you’ve been eyeing that standing desk, now might be the best time to pull the trigger. Or maybe that nice office chair you’ve been browsing on Amazon? Dining chairs are not great for sitting on for 1/3 of the day. The spaces we spend on leisure just aren’t that great for working. Unsurprisingly, being on the couch in front of the TV (where you usually watch The Office) with your laptop will probably lead you to watch the Office while you “work.”
A couple of essential purchases early in the pandemic, a standing desk, monitor, and chair have made all the difference in my productivity. Having space I can designate for work helps get me into a productive mindset and helps facilitate that essential buffer between life and work.
The context in which we work matters and recreating the conditions for success help reinforce continued success. If you’re finding yourself lacking or unmotivated, set up a space that makes you feel like a real professional. Put on some real pants and show up.
The way we work is changing. And chances are it’ll stay this way for the remainder of 2020 and a half (if not more) of 2021. Getting used to this new normal of remote work, whether you’re the type to overwork or get easily distracted, can help avoid burnout.