What I've Been Up to | Social Distancing & WFH Tips

Most of the country has been social distancing in response to the covid-19 outbreak, and while nerves are running high the number one question I'm seeing online is 'How do I productively work from home during this time?'.

While I've been fortunate to have past roles that allowed me to work remotely from time to time, I've never worked from home for this long. At the moment I am working from home by myself, but in the past I have worked from home with roommates or my fiancé around. It is a slightly different experience working from home with friends or family around, so I feel for those of you who may be struggling with that.

Here are my top tips during this time of social distancing to keep spirits up, and stay productive.

1. Let the light in, open your curtains and blinds to let the sunshine in as soon as you wake up. According to Healthline "Sunlight cues special areas in the retina, which triggers the release of serotonin". Letting the sunlight in to your space may help beat the social distancing blues. 
2. Dress the part! Some clients prefer video conferencing, for which case you may need to dress business on the top, comfy on the bottom. But if no one needs a visual during your workday, I like to dress as comfortably as possible. My favorite wfh outfit is below. I like to dress in something that I can easily transition into a workout later in the day, by switching out my shirt and socks.
3. Have a dedicated workspace. Make sure you have a cleared off, clean space to work. Whether you have an office, or are using your kitchen table, ensure you have a space in which you can block out distractions.
4. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. This week I opted for a superfood cereal, a clementine, and a glass of water. 
5. If the weather is warm where you live, keep the windows open, or work outside for a few hours. 
6. Go for a walk! Take your normal hour lunch break, use half to eat and half to take a walk.
7. Keep it moving. Personally, the worst part about being out of my normal routine, is not being able to use the gym in my office. I usually go 3x a week... so instead I've been trying to do shorter home workouts each day. I love using Whitney Simmons IG videos as inspiration. 
8. Make lists. I do this each day to help me keep track of deadlines, and it's especially useful from home. Make a list of objectives you need to track each day with their current status and steps you'll need to take towards your deadline. Crossing each piece off as I go helps me stay up to date and makes it easier for me to report updates to my team when needed. 
9. Eat Healthy. I'm taking this opportunity to try to be as healthy as I can, and cook nutritious meals for myself. I'll be the first to admit I don’t eat what I should when I'm in the office, I'm often running to and from meetings, and generally have a lot on my plate, so I tend to order delivery or just get something quick from the deli or Panda Express. I haven't been on par with every meal, but have made myself a few healthy salads, and pastas so far this week. 
10. Use your free time wisely. Some of us may have a spare few hours in the day now that our commutes have been cut from our routine. Use this time to read a book, FaceTime a friend, apply a face mask, or DIY a project! I recently bought a Cricut Explore Air 2 (back on sale this week!) and have been having fun making a few vinyl projects this week. 

If you have any additional tips, leave them in the comments below! Stay well friends! <3 div="" nbsp="">

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