11 TIPS FOR SANITY AND PRODUCTIVITY WHEN SUDDENLY WORKING FROM HOME

• Now that so many of us are suddenly working from home either for the first time or for a long period, I wanted to to share some tips for staying productive, sane, and positive. 
  
  
  Thinking big picture and a longish term - Im thinking if we come home and social distance, that is not enough to return us to normal.  Keeping commerce and education and services rolling depends on those at home to actually GET STUFF DONE.  
  
  
  Personally, I think our ability to stay positive and not deteriorate into panic mob mentality depends on our sense of accomplishment and clarity.  And working from home does NOT in my experience cause those things naturally. 
  
  
  So here’s my best shot at a contribution from research (definitely google for more perspectives!) and 20 years experience.
  
  
  CAVEAT: 
  So much of what I will share is prob not going to be FUN or make this process fun…  But I guess if we are playing the long game, it may be more than a week or 2 and those habits we create today are hard to unravel over time so even if by reading this it plants a seed that sticks with you and helps you down the road - SUPER!
  
  
  And these habits cause productivity (we NEED that!) and positivity (DITTO!)
  
  
  Look ahead to the reward of feeling productive, because that beats the HECK out of a mushy foggy brain while trying to field all this news and cope with true uncertainty on every level of life just about.
  
  
  1. SOME VERSION OF TIME BLOCKING IS NECESSARY.  I have 2 options here - you may find something else. 
  2. Set a schedule but watch out for “Rigidity Rebellion”  <—- I just made that up.  But I have found the schedules floating around can end up being pie in the sky.  The pattern can be try it fail and scrap the whole idea.  So maybe start with a framework.  Just “here is work/ school, and here is our “off time”.  
  3. Then figure out a little hierarchy for what needs to get done at home and for “work/school” and then assign things to those times you established in step 1   What I suggest is looking at what needs to get done and make a list of priorities and assign deadlines to them all.  For example, If you have 5 critical tasks at work, rather than looking at each 5 Monday.  Pick one for Monday, one for Tuesday and so forth.  If there is no food in the house then on your personal list for your personal “home or off time” you put grocery shop on Monday.  Then Tuesday you focus on other things you want to do.
  4. Bundle lists - this is an alternative I like alot. Make a list for your “Desk time/ quiet time”, “errand time” and “around the house time” - this way you can bundle some of your work and home activities with some efficiency even if you’re not in your “work” or “home” block.  This is where the rigidity can fail you.  If you are on your computer and you need to shoot your kids teacher something but its technically “work time” its gonna make you nuts.   Sometimes I may a work and home list and then I bundle them this way and assign them timeframes.   Some version of time blocking is necessary.
  5. MAKE A DEADLINE FOR TASKS not just your blocks for the day.  This is annoying but its key.  If all your tasks feel like you have all day to do them, none of them will get done well.  that is experience talking.  If you set a timer, it creates/forces focus on the ONE TASK that you need to focus on.  And you subconsciously are “racing” the timer so it helps you get through the list.  
  6. But before you start any of the real work/school work —-LAWD HAVE MERCY GET DRESSED. This one is the biggest key Im totally sold.  Over time, it will save your sanity!  Now I do life in yoga pants and athleisure wear.  So Im not a maniac putting on button and zip pants for crying out loud, but I do put on my “day pants” - these are totally different than my “night pants” although you many not know it.  But I know it. I can’t stress this enought!  Brush your teeth, get a little face on if that is your thing, brush your hair and here is the KICKER - put on shoes! 
  7. INSIST ON TIME OUTSIDE. Period, paragraph.  This means watch the weather and get yourself into your yard, walk your dog, SOMETHING.  Or you will literally die.  Figuratively, of course.  I learned this when I worked in the Federal Courthouse with nearly ZERO windows.  My bud Kevin and I would eat lunch at our desks and walk the streets of Atlanta for 30 minutes just to breath and get a break.  if it rained, we walked the parking garage.  It completely changes your day in the BEST WAY. ESPECIALLY IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE ZONE SCROLLING FACEBOOK WATCHING TV GAMING OR IN GENERAL AVOIDING YOUR TO DO LIST. IT WILL BREAK THE PATTERN!
  • Go on a walk around your neighborhood.
  • Consider walking during one of your conference calls. This can be to walk outside or even just walking around your house.
  • Get a small trampoline and jump on it for a few minutes a few times a day.
  • Use YouTube for short workout inspiration. Note: Always consult with a health professional before starting a workout routine.
  • Take your dog on a walk.
  
  
  8. For your desk/quiet time, alert those you live (kindly with smiles and kisses) with this is uninterrupted time.  I learned this the really hard way.  its easy to assume when you are in deep concentration that is obvious to the people who live with you that you don't want to be disturbed.  oh contraire mon frere!  Its SO MUCH BETTER to say, “Hey!  Im going to me at my desk for a little bit, I need to concentrate so Im going to close my door for a few hours.  If you need me, text me!”  Now my family knows after so much time that if I close my door, that means Im focused.  So, it helps me too, so when I come out, Chatty Cathy is back in action!
  9. Use a timer.  I set a timer for tasks and hear me out.  This sounds so silly, but let one notification pop up and its been 45 minutes and suddenly you are googling useless facts, scrolling facebook, or on Amazon, which is not the end of the world but its hard not to let this become ALL DAY.  Now you feel like a heel at the end of the day and start to want to scrap the whole idea of any kind of schedule.  So trust me.  A little timer plus the task at hand is GOLDEN to your efforts.
  10. Set up a “work station” for the coming days. The more completely separate from your peeps you live with, the better.  One that you can “Close” when you are done for the day.  If you use the time blocks in first few bullets then you should be stopping at a certain time.  Its great if you can walk away and before you go, write a list for tomorrow.  Then leave it for tomorrow.  That creates a sense of urgency when you sit back down tomorrow rather than if you never stop working but also really never start.  that seems to create a big sense of overwhelm for most people.  It really helps to get it down on paper and then walk away.  
  11. CONNECT - Lets expand and grow in these times, not shrink.  There are a ton of tools available to support working remotely. Here are two of my favorite tools that I believe almost anyone working from home can enjoy.
  • Zoom – Are you looking for a way to hold meetings? You’ll definitely want to check out Zoom if so. Zoom supports video conferencing and online meetings. I use Zoom to hold meetings with my staff, contractors, clients, and… friends. Yep, Zoom is great even for chatting with friends.  And I saw the Zoom CEO is offering it for free right now to all.  
  • Slack – Slack is a great way to communicate with your team. If you were from the instant messaging/ AIM days, you can think of slack like instant messaging on steroids for teams.