I’m sure many of us have dreamed of working from home at some point during our time at the UCWbL. “Why can’t I do this from home once a week? Why can’t I just Zoom in for my social media meeting?” Now that we all have been thrust (unwillingly) into this situation and head into an unprecedented moment in UCWbL history, it’s important to understand the caveats of working remotely and how to combat it once the novelty begins to wane.
Take Frequent Breaks
On first thought, it might seem like working from home saves you more time. It’s important to realize that our workday is punctuated with interruptions. Whether that be the quick chat you have with your coworker, that bathroom break, changing the water jug at the Loop campus, etc., we rarely work straight from clocking in to clocking out. However, at home, it’s easy to get sucked into your work and feel drained when nothing is there to pull you away for the moment.
Simply put, this doesn’t necessarily mean working remotely is more efficient or that workplace culture needs to be changed, but you can certainly feel burned out quickly in this remote-working scenario. Do you have twenty minutes before your next appointment? Feed your dog. Your 1:00 appointment canceled? Grab a quick sandwich from the kitchen, glance at the news, anything. These short breaks will help your mind fresh throughout the workday and give you much needed micro-breaks.
Change out of Your Pajamas
Your first thought at the announcement might have been, “wow, I can work on my couch with my pajamas still on!” As comfortable as it sounds, there are some drawbacks to this.
When you don’t change out of your pajamas, not only are you tricking yourself into thinking you’re comfortable, but you’re not shifting into the workplace mindset. Humans are ritualistic. Even if you aren’t going anywhere, why not at least put on a fresh set of clothes before beginning your remote-workday? It will help you feel better and give you a better sense of routine for the day.
That being said, you don’t need to put on a button up and slacks just to work at home! Pajamas are for sleeping, not lounging or working in, as strange as that sounds. I personally like to wear jeans or jogging pants with a t-shirt. Not the most formal, but it definitely gets me into a “I’m awake and starting the day” mindset before beginning work.
Most importantly, you need to be ready for fit checks at #fashion on slack!
Remember to Socialize!
It’s easy to forget how much socializing happens in the workplace, especially somewhere as vibrant as the UCWbL. Though we have slack, it’s easy to feel lonely and detached when working on written feedback or team sidework for hours on end. If you have any family members or roommates, remember to talk with them as well! We are social creatures, and it’s important for us to get that daily dose of interaction we need to function at full capacity. It’s easy to feel the work day is stretched out throughout the day when working remotely, so we have to work to fill it with the same unique, fun interactions we normally have at work.
Where all our socializing will take place for the remainder of the pandemic!
Remember there are a mind-boggling number of slack channels you can join, from #random to #fashion or #games. These can be spaces for you to have those fun interactions with other UCWbLers in between feedback appointments or on break.
Get Some Fresh Air (Yes, Really!)
You might be thinking to yourself right now, “why would I go outside? We’re in the middle of a pandemic!”
You would certainly have a point, but it’s still necessary for us to get that fresh air and brief respite from staying indoors all day. Do you have a yard or porch? Stand outside for a little while. Do you have a window? Open your window and stare out at the *now* tranquil streets.
You might notice that I’m repeatedly pointing to human nature throughout this post. After all, we aren’t built to stay indoors all day. We begin to feel down and develop cabin fever when we can’t at least go out to breathe some fresh air.
Most importantly, remember there are people there for you
Especially for those living alone, working remotely can seem like you’re imprisoned. It’s always good to remember you have friends, colleagues, and family members also enduring the same situation. Rough patches don’t stop just because we’re inside all day. It’s important to take your mental health into consideration and ensure you still have those people you can reach out to in a moment of crisis.