How long will social distancing measures be in place in Rochester? What about statewide stay-at-home orders?
There is a lot of uncertainty right now. We do not have simple or straightforward answers to these questions–the very questions many Americans want answered most. If we are not careful, this uncertainty can take a tremendous toll on productivity.
With the right mindset and a few critical steps, days spent mostly inside flattening the curve can be just as gainful as any other day. Here are a few ways to make it happen:
1. Start The Day Out Right
Starting the morning in a positive way is crucial to a successful day. To do this, establish a regular bedtime. Wake up at the same time every morning. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready before sinking into the busyness of your day.
Your mood in the morning will set a precedent. Create rituals that help you de-stress and nurture a positive attitude–and stick to them!
Some ideas to start out the morning right include meditation, journaling, stretching, and eating a nutritious breakfast. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Just five to 10 minutes of meditation, journaling, and/or stretching can make a big difference. The important thing is that you choose an activity that calms you and one (or two) that you are most likely to make a habit.
2. Use Tools To Help You
There are a whole host of tools that can help you stay productive while working from home and/or getting important tasks done. In fact, time and project management tools like Asana promise to “increase your team’s efficiency by 45%,” according to Asana.com. These tools make it possible to coordinate with coworkers in a straightforward and organized fashion, all while working from home. Similarly, Zoom and Slack make it possible to communicate with coworkers in real-time. Messaging and video work best for time-sensitive projects or collaborations that require dynamic group discussion.
If you feel aimless or overwhelmed while tackling work or important tasks at home, time management tools and apps can help. There are apps that help you organize your email, find more time in your day, prioritize tasks and set reminders, and schedule your time more efficiently.
3. Work On Relationships
With Rochester’s quarantine measures in place for the foreseeable future, many of us are spending more time at home with our partners or spouses than ever before. Constantly sharing the same space day after day can put a strain on even the strongest relationships. There is a silver lining, however.
“Couples can take advantage of the forced time together to strengthen bonds by doubling down on your strengths as a couple, recalibrating your expectations, and being generous,” Business Insider writes. How? The first step is taking a moment to reflect on the strengths of the relationship. Play to these strengths. If you cherish moments raising your kids together, spend more time as a family. If making each other laugh is one of the best parts of your relationship or marriage, now is the best time to do it! Be realistic about the weak parts of your relationship. Reframe them. Consider that now is not necessarily the best time to fix them. Focus on the good instead. When things get tough (and they will from time to time), remember that all of us are going through something new, unexpected, and uncertain together. Give yourself grace, and give your partner and family members grace, too.
Divorce in the U.S. is all-too-common. The country has the sixth highest divorce rate in the world. Put in the work for your marriage by adjusting your expectations and recalibrating during times of crisis.
4. Make A To-Do List
Just like it is important to use tools, it is also important to clearly identify what needs doing in the first place. If you are working from home, write a to-do list with all of the tasks and projects coming up that day and that week. Use deadlines and/or need to prioritize tasks.
If you are not working right now, putting together a to-do list may seem like a much more daunting task. The good news is that it does not have to be! Start with your New Year’s resolutions. A staggering 80% of people fail to keep their resolutions. This is a great opportunity to set aside the time to truly commit to them. Break goals into small, digestible steps and get started right away, not weeks or months from now. Plus, some of the most popular resolutions–like eating healthy, exercising, and/or spending less–are especially wise and prudent to make a priority during these times. A healthy diet and regular exercise boosts the immune system and combats stress. With the future of the job market somewhat uncertain, it is a great thing to have savings or learn simple and effective ways to save money. It might also be a good idea to start working on drafting your will since 71.6% of Americans do not have an up-to-date will.
5. Stay Connected
Loneliness is a serious mental health issue. “Loneliness, living alone and poor social connections are as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” according to The Campaign to End Loneliness. It is especially important not to fall prey to loneliness with quarantine and stay-at-home orders in place.
There are several ways to combat loneliness, even if you live alone or with just one partner, roommate, or spouse. Stay in touch with beloved family and friends using Zoom and Netflix parties. Zoom keeps it lighthearted, enabling users to introduce fun twists into video chat, like unique virtual backgrounds. Catch up with your parents with Hobbiton or Hogwarts in the background, or opt for a timely and comedic Tiger King backdrop. With Netflix parties, you can watch a show or movie at the same exact time as friends or family members and use group chat to discuss what you’re watching.
Stay connected with family and friends, be proactive about your mental health, and productivity will follow.
6. Create A Productive Environment
Finally, clutter and niggling problems around the house are distracting. Be as productive as possible–and stay that way–by keeping a neat, cleanly workspace and ridding the house of as many distractions as possible.
For example, a leaky faucet or burnt out bulb that badly needs replacing can detract from what you really need to be doing. Leaky faucets can potentially waste the equivalent of 180 showers or 3,000 gallons of water per year! Focus on the task on hand without that the constant drip, drip in the background. Fix the sink as soon as you can. Don’t put it off.
Similarly, remove excess items from your workspace. Put things back as you use them. End each day by wiping down surfaces with disinfecting, antibacterial wipes or a disinfecting spray.
Each year, 4.7 million American workers suffer a work injury, according to the National Safety Council. Luckily, workplace injuries will drastically decrease during these uncertain times. Staying at home and quarantining is new to us in Rochester and across the rest of the country. Stay safe and stay productive! View this as an opportunity to be at your best!
