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The challenge we face with COVID-19 is a test for all of us. And we can get past it but it depends on how. It has to do with the big change that, after all, it leads us to something better.
But every change goes through a crisis. Something to which we need to adapt and overcome to save ourselves.
Here are some useful work from home tips and practices from Ivan Strijlev. He is in the management team of Vratsa Software Community and The Nest Coworking Space. Ivan has studied psychology and has more than 10 years of experience in creating and conducting trainings and team buildings. His tips will help you boost your health, productivity and overall happiness.
Content:
Working
No Pajamas
At the beginning of the workday, replace your pajamas or home clothes with ones that you go out with. Keep in mind that we sit in our pajamas and lie all day long only when we are sick.
If we do it for a long time, when we are healthy we will:
- neglect our personal hygiene
- reduce our vitality
- sleep disorders will occur
- become irritable
- apathy and a sense of meaninglessness will emerge
- ATTENTION !!! You are a step away from depression
Working Space
Create a place to work from that is different from where you rest or eat. It can be a separate room or a separate corner, even with two chairs. This will differentiate the workflow in space. It is necessary to physically go in and go out of work. If you work, rest, and eat in the same place, confusion, discomfort, irritability, depression may occur. Neither work will be work nor rest – rest. We, humans, need borders.
Work Flow
Create your business hours and follow it! A person is productive for a certain period of time, then needs rest or change of activity. Get enough breaks, work breaks (just like when you are on work). Follow your own needs. Do not groom yourself at rest because you disturb the rhythm. Be strict!
Work Atmosphere
Provide yourself with the peace and security of the necessary things to do work.
Activities
Beware of too long sitting and bedding! The home environment makes that easy. Not moving will cause you to lose your life tone, you will become lazy, concentration, thinking, and memory will suffer. Our body, mind, and spirituality are closely linked, our health depends on them. Look for ways to be active and the physical things:
- Get up often
- Walk, play physical games
- Exercise (as there is work from home, so there may be a gym from home). There are plenty of workouts on mobile applications, videos on YouTube, articles, etc. Find one that suits you and stick with it. I would recommend Leap Fitness Group and Simeon Panda Home Workouts.
- Do your home physical work periodically
- Sleep no more than 8 hours a day
- Exit the yard or terrace, stay out in the sun
- Ventilate frequently
Keep your body active, it helps the mind, the immune system, and metabolism. Breathe fresh air, expose yourself in the sun, stand for a few minutes in the cold. Have fun while you are physically active, keep a positive attitude towards the movement and it will become a good habit.
Nutrition
When we are home we tend to eat more. The truth is that we spend less energy at home, so we need to consume less food.
Eat at specific times, between 2 and 4 times a day by setting a quantity calories for the day.
Often times we eat not because of lack of energy, but
to make up for the psychological deficit. We’re doing it, when we lack pleasure, we feel sad, lonely, insecure or anxious.
Communication
Don’t go into social insulation. Communication with others is important for us. Keep in touch with friends, colleagues, relatives, and do it every day!
If you are living with someone, make sure you have time for yourself every day (your job is not “me time”). It is important to keep our personal borders!
Avoid negative people and conversations. Strive to talk about a variety of things with a predominantly positive focus.
Organize online dinner with friends, play games like associations with video chat. Create challenges with colleagues and friends like: “Guess who I am from my childhood photos”, “Cook the same meal and share the result”, etc.
Limit the news, especially the bad ones
Get informed about the situation no more than twice a day from proven and reliable sources. Monitoring the flow of information increases anxiety and can trigger panic attacks. This is because content nowadays is focused on experience, not information. It also abounds with fake news and negative comments.
All this information can do almost nothing, but it is certainly harmful.
Conclusion
This is how we behave, what we will do and think does not depends on the situation (the crisis), and it depends on ourselves. This will also determine what the results will be for us. So let’s be constructive, self-aware, patient and persistent.
