When the announcement was made that everyone should work from home, I didn’t realise how much of a challenge I would find it because I would class myself as a remote worker in normal times. Despite this, I have found the last few weeks a challenge to adapt to and therefore wanted to share my thoughts on how the lines between working and downtime can become blurred and how to overcome this.A typical week for me would involve being on the road, meeting with the team, working from coffee shops at times and visiting the gym to wind down. Usually, the time I spend working from my home office is fairly limited and the house much quieter.Now with us all working from home and not being able to break up the day with other things, I have found there to be lots more distractions and I am guilty of putting additional pressure on myself to work longer hours just because I can.I’m sure lots of people can relate to these challenges so I hope by sharing some techniques on keeping work and downtime separate, they will help you.
With “normal” routines a thing of the past, it is important that you add structure to your day by planning as much as possible. I have always used a diary, and it seems more important than ever now even though I’m not leaving the house. Why? Having a purpose is the reason we get out of bed everyday so if I left that diary empty it would have a hugely negative affect on my motivation. Instead I fill it with work, social and downtime activities from Zoom calls, virtual group meetings, admin jobs to my 30 minute online workouts and meditation sessions. I’ve even scheduled time to read some amazing books that I just haven’t got round to and all of a sudden my days and week is full of activity! This not only keeps me motivated, it keeps me on track with my goals and I’m able to measure my progress at the end of each week.
For those of us living with family, we now find ourselves in a position of all trying to work from home and perhaps you’re having to care for an elderly or vulnerable family member or home school your children at the same time. It is challenging! I’ve found the best way of ensuring everyone is happy is to communicate with each other. If I need a quiet half an hour while on a video call at a certain time, I’ll communicate that with my household in advance so they don’t interrupt. Similarly, if my son wants to use a space in the house for exercise at a set time, he will let us know so we’re not getting in the way. Communication is key at this time, we’re all living in unchartered territory so by sharing our needs, we can all help each other get through it.
If your kitchen, living room or spare bedroom has now become your office and your laptop is easily accessible it can be hard to switch off. I sometimes find myself logging on to check my email and before I know it it’s been an hour and I’ve been stuck in a Tik Tok hole seeking new ways to connect with people! Schedule regular breaks and where possible step away from your screens at this time. Something as simple as gathering at the kitchen table with your household for a cup of tea, wandering around the garden and feeling that fresh air or cooking lunch together will not only lift your spirits, but will allow you to be more productive when you do return to your desk.
Whether it’s socialising with the people in your household or virtually with friends, family or colleagues, it’s important to have an element of human interaction in your day. I’ve been using Kahoot with the team which is great for quizzes. We’ve also had a virtual pizza Tuesday over Zoom and I’ve been having regular phone calls and Facetimes with friends and family to check in. the new normal for now is trying to make a difference to someone else’s day and I hope this continues even when we do get back to normal.
It’s also important to be kind to yourself. Just because your laptop is there it doesn’t mean you have to be working longer days. Equally if you struggle to motivate yourself one day, start the next one with a fresh approach and don’t dwell on the negatives. We are all having to adapt to new environments and new pressures so accept that not every day will be the best. Be patient with yourself and be kind to yourself, you’re doing your best and that’s all that matters. It’s been amazing to see the level of compassion people are showing each other so be sure to show a little more to yourself.
Prior to starting his current business with UW, Derek dedicated 29 years to Primary Education, serving as a classroom practitioner, an Advisory Teacher for Information Technology, and ultimately as the Head of a Primary School until 2014.
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