Tips For Staying Sane While Working From Home With Your Partner And Family

Lately, many entrepreneurs and working professionals find themselves commiserating as they face prolonged periods of working from home. They miss the interaction with team members and clients. Many may be struggling with keeping their wits about them while spending an unprecedented amount of time with their significant others and children, who also have been mostly homebound thanks to the pandemic.

The Covid-19 crisis has turned our world and work upside down. Every individual who before found it difficult to balance their professional and personal lives face even greater challenges now that the blurring of lines has been exacerbated by coronavirus restrictions. 

I wish I had a magic spell that could make it all better for everyone dealing with the frustrations. Alas, I do not. However, I can share how I've managed to survive and thrive during this new normal. Hopefully, the tips that have worked for me will also help you navigate your work-from-home challenges. I've broken them down into three distinct areas of interest to help you hone in on the tips most relevant to your situation. 

General words of wisdom for working from home successfully

The following tips provide some general advice to help you put your best foot forward as an at-home professional:

1. Create a space that’s all yours

Designate a room of your home (or at the very least, a large section of a room) as your home office. By having a dedicated space that’s all yours for work purposes, you’ll have a better chance of working productively and minimizing interruptions. 

2. Equip yourself with the right stuff

Make sure you have the right tools in place at home to manage your business effectively: computer, printer, software subscriptions, office supplies, etc. While it may be difficult to create a workspace identical to the one at your regular office, try to replicate it as closely as possible.

Also, if you're not overly comfortable communicating via video conferencing platforms, immerse yourself in learning the ins and outs. Especially since in-person meetings are off the table for a while, talking face-to-face via teleconferencing has become an important part of doing business.

3. Dress for the part

It may be tempting to forgo a morning shower and succumb to wearing PJs or sweatpants day in and day out. After all, why not be comfortable? But I've found that getting dressed in my typical work attire, putting on some makeup, and doing my hair delivers a mood and productivity boost. Try to stick with your usual style routine to put yourself in a “ready to work” state of mind.

4. Find your ideal routine

You may need to experiment to discover just what schedule will be optimal for you. For me, I’ve found that following a routine keeps me focused, motivated, and de-stressed.

Occasionally, I have to stray from that lineup due to work or personal responsibilities. But having a plan that I stick to most days gives me the structure I need to accomplish what’s on my plate.

5. Find time for self-care

Whether you enjoy walking, meditating, hiking, biking, painting, watching movies, or other activities, allow yourself to partake in what feeds your mind, body, and soul. It’s critical to carve out time to relax, reduce stress, and refresh your mindset. 

6. Embrace your newfound flexibility

Chances are you now have more flexibility than ever before during your workday. That freedom can be intimidating when you're used to rushing around to arrive at the office, a client site, or other location by a particular time of day.

As I mentioned earlier, finding your ideal routine can help create some structure. But I encourage you to embrace the opportunity to loosen the reins a bit and enjoy the leeway.

Source: Forbes.com