Since the Covid-19 break out in late February, the world has changed in ways we never anticipated. Everything from how we work, to how we learn, and how we communicate have entirely different importance to us now.
Some children are returning to school this fall, wearing masks and alternating days of attendance, while some are not able to attend. The workweek has gone from forty hours a week in an office or simply outside the house, to a week in which it seems like work never starts or ends, it just keeps going.
Breaking the monotony is a daunting and continuous task – the future doesn’t hold the promise of much change without a vaccine. So we have to learn new methods and new ways to go about conducting ourselves and especially our business. Without doing so, personal health and productivity will be drastically impacted and it’s important we all find ways to cope and maintain healthy mental practices during this time.
Set a Schedule
For starters, your schedule should be as detailed as possible down to the hour or even down to the half-hour, if possible. It’s always good to set goals and try to hit them, but do not worry if your goals aren’t all met in one day. Being as detailed as possible allows you to visually understand what you have to do and lets you see where there are holes in your day. You could fill those with learning something new or practicing towards a side project.
It also serves as a tool to help make changes in bad personal or work habits, and ultimately a system to record your journey to success. Taking these breaks is an important part of productivity because you need to be able to stay focused on the task at hand, which will help with overarching goals overtime.
When setting your schedule, you can try assigning or scheduling tasks around the same time every day. This will help establish your boundaries between working and being offline. Allow yourself the freedom to actually be off when you declare yourself off, even if this means the work is not completed (assuming you have enough time to meet your deadline.) This can be hard for employees working from home but especially for someone running their own business. However, you have to know when to call it, re-group, and leave it for another day.
Technology Can Be Your Greatest Friend, It Can Also Be The Enemy.
An advantage of this time is that there are opportunities to develop a new skill through an online course. After all, there is a takeover of new university models for online learning that we are looking towards so you may as well be ahead of the curve and get comfortable. But there are limits needed.
Teleconferencing apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom have allowed us much freedom in how we work. It lets us be in a safe environment to communicate with our co-workers, families, or clients and provides the accessibility to get work done from a safe place. But, constantly feeling drained after being online all day can be a double-edged sword.
This is why it’s important to allow yourself time away from the screen. Make sure you remember to take back your time and set a limit on how much of and what kind of digital media you absorb.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
In this world the best thing you can try to do is maintain an exercise routine and healthy diet. Remaining physically active is a must when it comes to staying mentally healthy as well. Sitting in a chair staring at a screen builds up numerous stressors and anxieties throughout the day. Setting a workout routine to stick to throughout the week is one way to adhere to this goal.
Personally, I like to take twenty minutes every two hours to step away from the computer screen: do jumping jacks, push-ups, even walk around and just think without a screen in your face for a second. Having a balanced diet that is full of the proper vitamins and minerals allows your brain to function at a more optimal rate, while also aiding in keeping you physically fit.
A hungry person is a distracted person.
The World Is Far Different Today Than It Was Six Months Ago
These are unprecedented times, but the methods we can use to navigate them may not be that different than what we are already used to.
Setting a schedule allows you to hit your goals and track where your progress is being made. Technology has allowed you to work in ways you never knew you would be able to but this constant access can feel daunting which is why you need to plan and set limits your time and availability. Leaving space for yourself is critical to maintaining a balanced life. Maintaining physical discipline and exercise are important to health just as they are to optimization.
Plainly speaking, be sure to get fresh air and sunlight. These are challenging times – who knows how long or which direction things may go.
But the pursuit of excellence takes no days off.
FEEL GOOD RVA 