A GUIDE TO WORK-FROM-HOME WELL-BEING

To say our lives have changed in profound ways over the past 3 months is a gross understatement. In addition to the COVID-19-driven rapid evolution of how we work, learn, parent, socialize, travel, exercise and experience life in general, our country is now in the midst of a revolution. As far as I can tell, every day in the foreseeable future will continue to present new challenges to learn, adapt, adjust, innovate. So, in both my coaching and corporate consulting work, I am constantly asking the question, “how can we support our mental and physical health in ways that will help us acclimate, cope and even thrive in the face of overwhelming change?”

In the first two months of the pandemic, my friends, family and clients seemed to struggle the most with uncertainty, isolation and fear. In the past month or so, the biggest challenge seems to be accepting and adjusting to the new work-from-home normal that many people will be facing in perpetuity. We spend more of our waking hours working than we do anything else, so it’s only natural that upheaval in that part of our lives has become a tremendous source of stress and tension.

Modern workplaces are designed to foster the productivity, focus, collaboration and well-being of employees. Conversely, our homes are typically designed around functions like sleeping, eating and relaxing. They also tend to be filled with distractions that have the opposite effects of thoughtfully designed workplaces - barking dogs, blaring televisions and shouting children. So how can we transform our routines and home environment in a way that eases the stress caused by this dissonance? How can we protect our mental and physical health while working from home?

1. START WITH RECOGNITION AND COMPASSION: For many, the last three months have felt like being trapped on some uncomfortable ride in a surreal and bizarre amusement park. The lack of control combined with the tremendous amounts of change and emotions is a lot (or too much) for even the most resilient human being to cope with. It’s ok to acknowledge that this is difficult in profound ways. You are a human being, and isolation and uncertainty do not help human beings thrive. Give yourself space to process, to grieve, to feel, or in the very least, to be frustrated. If you don’t, the feelings will find their way out somehow. They always do.

2. DO A SELF-ASSESSMENT: Take a few days to pay attention to what parts of your work-from-home routine are the most challenging and stress-inducing for you, so you can identify and prioritize what needs your attention the most. You may not be able to turn your work-from-home hell into a heavenly spa experience overnight, but you can certainly take small but manageable steps over a few weeks in the direction of something more pleasant and productive.

3. PROTECT YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH by making proactive, preventative measures non-negotiable. I know this sounds like an oversimplification of something that can feel impossible when you’re running a summer camp from your kitchen, working 50 hours a week and barely have time to shower, but keeping your body and mind healthy is your only chance at thriving in, instead of just surviving, this “new normal.” Prioritize sufficient sleep, mood-supportive nutrition, daily movement and time outside. Each of these goals can be achieved in the simplest of forms (go to bed earlier instead of zoning out on Netflix, eat more nourishing meals and less processed snacks, take a conference call while you walk around the neighborhood, for example), but do whatever you can to make them happen. Along with stress management, sleep, nutrition, movement and nature are imperative bricks in the foundation of mental and physical health.

4. STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR WHY: Why do you get up for work each day? Why is it important to you to show up fully in your role? Why is it important for you to perform well and do everything in your power to keep or advance in your job? Whatever your why, write it down on a sticky note and slap it on your bedside table, laptop or the mirror where you brush your teeth. The reminder will help you keep your eyes on the prize even when you’re feeling discouraged or overwhelmed by the chaos around you.

5. PLAN FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: On Sunday evening, take a look at your calendar and assess how you can minimize stress by being prepared and strategic. If you notice a concentration of calls/meetings on some days and minimal appointments on others, can you move anything to create a greater sense of balance and some space each day to take breaks and take care of yourself? If you have back to back Zooms through lunchtime on one day, can you make a lunch the night before or set aside leftovers to have while your camera is turned off during the calls? Are your evenings really busy this week? Can you ask your partner for support with caretaking, cleaning or cooking duties? Is there space to block off some time to do something that will help you feel more grounded and calm?

6. CONSIDER A BRIEF GROUNDING MORNING ROUTINE TO TRANSITION INTO WORK MODE: Don’t contribute to already blurred lines between work and home life by checking your emails the moment you open your eyes. Take at least 10 minutes for yourself (hopefully more) to do the things you would normally do before you began your commute. Try to use this as an opportunity to eliminate screen time from your morning routine, and with the time you get back by avoiding that distraction, do some deep breathing, stretching or intention setting. Not your thing? Simply sit with a cup of coffee and enjoy a few moments of stillness before you dive into the day.

7. BE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW YOU SPEND YOUR WORK HOURS: Think back to your days in an office. How did you effectively manage your time? What helpful methods can you apply to your work-from-home routine? If your days look completely different now, a few things you might experiment with: time blocking, checking emails only at designated times to avoid interruption of your work flow, picking 1-3 priorities at the beginning of each work day and focusing on them first thing, eliminating “half work” by keeping your phone in another room to avoid scrolling through social media or texting while you want to be focused on work.

8. DESIGNATE A SPECIFIC SPOT TO DEDICATE TO WORK: This may or may not be possible in your home, but having a designated area to work (ideally with a door) is much more supportive of focus, productivity and clear boundaries than working on your living room couch with the TV on and finger-painting kiddos at your feet. Do the best you can with the space (and support) you have to eliminate distractions within arms reach and in the space around you. Think of it like this: when you’re working, you only want to see, hear and touch things that relate to the task at hand. If you don’t have a home office with a tidy desk, wherever you do hunker down to work, turn off the TV, put the pup in the yard and clear the surface around you of clutter.

9. DEFINE WORK HOURS/BOUNDARIES AND STICK TO THEM: This is one of the biggest challenges work-from-home warriors face. Without clear boundaries, work and life melt into each other increasingly over time, and before you know it you feel like you never get a break. Avoid burnout and unnecessary angst by deciding when you will begin and end work each day. Set boundaries with your co-workers and family to let everyone know when you clock in and clock out so you can be present and show up fully in both your personal and professional lives. Some people find that book-ending with rituals helps create these boundaries, for example, breakfast followed by meditation at 8:00 am kicks off the work day and a 15 minute walk at 5:00 pm ends it.

10. TAKE SHORT BREAKS BETWEEN CALLS OR PROJECTS: Our brains aren’t built to focus, create and conference call for 8 hours straight. Taking short breaks in between tasks will help you feel refreshed and recharged and will prevent burnout. Taking a few minutes to breathe and rest your weary brain will also support regulation of your stress hormones, which will promote mental and physical health in a laundry list of ways (better sleep, improved mood, more regulated appetite to name a few).

11. CARVE OUT 5 MINUTES FOR MEDITATION or any mindfulness-based practice during one of your breaks (this post is a great list of options to try). In addition to increasing productivity and improving focus, doing so will help you stay more connected to yourself and your changing needs. The deeper sense of self awareness that comes from a regular mindfulness practice will help you recognize when you need a quick break, a good vent or maybe even a mental health day. In my opinion, self awareness and the self care that follows is just as valuable as productivity!

12. CHECK IN WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES to encourage open, honest dialogue around the inevitable mental health challenges we’re all facing right now. More conversations lead to less stigma and less stigma leads to more treatment and positive outcomes for those that may be struggling. Consider how you might be able to show up as a friend, supportive colleague or ally for BIPOC and members of marginalized communities that may be experiencing amplified effects of both COVID-19 and recent civil unrest.

13. MAKE TIME FOR HUMAN CONNECTION OUTSIDE OF WORK: In this era of blurred lines and messy boundaries, work can feel all-consuming. Now that it has invaded our sacred home space, it’s more important than ever to do things that remind you that work isn’t EVERYTHING. Don’t spend your days connected to colleagues through Zoom only to shut down and shut out the world in the evenings and on weekends. Save some time and energy for connecting to the people you love, near and far, so you feel nourished and fulfilled by something other than your job. Only you can create a little balance for yourself in this unbalanced world.

14. LEVERAGE HEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS INSTEAD OF UNHEALTHY ONES: As tempting as it is right now to drown out all the stress and emotions with alcohol, junk food, online shopping and other forms of numbing, doing so will only make matters worse. Of course the occasional drink or new pair of shoes is nothing to worry about, but habitually coping with stress in ways that hurt your body or bank account will only add more psychological and biological stress. Start by swapping out one unhealthy coping mechanism with something on this list for just one week and see what happens to your overall mindset.

15. ASK FOR HELP: I went from a highly structured corporate work environment to working from my dining room table 4 years ago. I have lived and breathed the ups and downs of the transition many of you are facing. I now help busy professionals find their way to personalized, sustainable versions of mental and physical health that allow them to thrive...even while working from home. If you need support or would like me to do a talk for your company focused on work-from-home wellbeing, don’t hesitate to reach out. And if not to me, to someone. Life is too short to silently struggle with anything when there is almost always someone in your life that would be honored to be there for you.