The ABCs of Effectively Working From Home During Quarantine

How many of us can now add professional juggler to our resumes? Between the health and economic concerns over Covid-19 (coronavirus) and the logistics of everyone being at home during the quarantine, we all have a lot on our plates. Some days I just feel like a clown in a circus!

While having the whole family home is wonderful, productivity has become a bit challenging. Working from home and going to school online can bring about some unexpected challenges, but as with most anything, a little organization can fix almost anything!

*Bonus: Print our free Daily Schedule to help you get organized! You can see it at the end of the article.

As a creature of habit and borderline control freak (my family would say total control freak), I have learned to use my ABCs to approach any new and unexpected situation, including the quarantine.

ABCs of Effectively Working From Home

A is for Acceptance.

• Acceptance is the final stage of grief, and after grieving the loss of our pre-Covid life, we need to accept that this is the situation we are now facing and make the most of it.
  • Acceptance doesn’t mean wrapping up on the couch watching Netflix or the news; it means taking action. Brainstorm what we need for success. Important items may include:
    • A dedicated workspace. If you don’t have an office, use a table. I have an office upstairs, but I prefer to work downstairs in case someone needs me (or I want a cup of coffee). The dining room works well for me. I am close by, but easily accessible. My husband and daughter prefer to work at the kitchen table. My son does his assignments in his bed or at his desk in his room. Find what works best for you. Some people are using a card table for a makeshift desk, and I’ve even spoken to people who are using a tall dresser as a standing desk. A coffee table can do in a pinch.
    • Tools. Do you need a computer, tablet, phone, notepad, pen, pencil, calculator, file folders, portable file storage, speaker for music, headphones (bonus points if they are noise-cancelling), a barista to deliver mocha lattes? Whatever you need, place it in your office space. Having things at our fingertips improves efficiency and minimizes distractions.
    • A flexible schedule. Having a schedule helps hold us accountable for our actions and gives us an outline of expectations for the day and week. Print our free Daily Schedule to help you get organized!
    • Patience. In spite of all of our preparation and planning, as you know, the “best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” This rings as true today as it did in 1786 when the Scottish poet, Robert Burns published the line in his poem, “The Mouse.” Patience is a virtue for a reason. We need to expect that things will probably not go exactly as planned (dogs will bark during a video call; printers run out of ink; the deadline you set couldn’t be met because your daughter needed help with an assignment; etc.), but having patience helps us survive and move on to Plan B.

B is for Balance.

• Balance between home life and work life is crucial to successfully hustle from home. It is so easy to get consumed by one or the other. We can devote so much energy to our jobs that we don’t take advantage of this gift of time with our families. On the flip side, if we concentrate all of our energy to fulfilling family time, we aren’t able to be successful in our careers.
  • Creating and sticking to a schedule will help us define our work time and our play time. Print and use our Daily Schedule! See it at the end of this article.
  • Boundaries to keep work, school, and family time separate need to be erected. I sometimes set blocks of the day aside for my “Office Hours” and “Help Desk.” I make myself available for helping the kids and my husband if they need something during “Help Desk” time and ask that they refrain from interrupting me during “Office Hours.” If no one is bleeding and nothing is broken, it can probably wait.
  • Setting goals for the day, week, and even month can help us stay focused. Encourage your family to do the same. Adjusting to online learning can be challenging to the children too.
  • Reserving time for breaks and taking time for ourselves and our family will make sure that we aren’t “all work and no play.” Don’t forget to nurture your mind, body, and soul.
    • Family activities like puzzles, scavenger hunts, crafts, projects, and games can help strengthen your bonds with your family.
    • Virtual happy hours are a great way to socialize from a distance and keep in touch with family and friends.
    • Quiet activities like reading can help us carve out some calmness.
    • Exercising for health and stress-relief should become a bigger priority. There are so many free online resources. Start with YouTube. I’ve been doing free classes on there in the morning before work, and I’m amazed with how much more productive I’ve been.
    • Meditation and prayer can feed our soul. Most churches are offering online services.

C is for Creativity.

• Creativity is required for mastering working from home. If necessity is the mother of all inventions, there has never been a better time to come up with creative solutions to WFH (work from home) issues.
  • Set your schedule to maximize productivity and minimize interruptions. We joke and say that the teens have “late arrival” for homeschool. Instead of being out the door at 6:35 am to go to school, they are now sleeping in until 10:00-11:00 am, rolling out of bed, and starting their lessons. For my husband and me, it means that early to mid-morning are our best times to be productive. My daughter and I are sharing a computer, so I try to schedule my computer time when she is sleeping, doing her basketball workouts, or taking a break. Sometimes I just take pen to paper and write, typing my work into my computer when it is free.
  • If motivation is becoming an issue, you may need to trick your brain into thinking you are going to work. Going through the act of getting ready for work instead of showing up with a messy bun and pjs can help us transition into work mode, not scroll Instagram mode. You don’t need to put on heels and make-up (unless that works for you), but showing up to “work” should include some type of grooming and a clothing change.
  • Video conferencing is a great way to connect with coworkers and clients, but before you do, check your background. Don’t sit with your back to the window. Light coming in will make it difficult for people to see you. Use a headset, headphones, AirPods, etc. Not all of us want to be held auditory hostages! Also, use the mute button unless you are speaking. No one on the other end wants to listen to the daily chatter of your home.
  • Time management skills are a must right now, and taking the time to plan meals (see our 2 Week Menu with Printable Shopping List), schedule chores for the family (see our DIY Reusable Dry Erase Chore Chart), and allotting time for work, school, and fun will help our lives be manageable and more satisfying. Use this Daily Schedule to help you get the most out of your days!

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