5 Ways to Get it Done, Even at Home
So you’ve never taken an online class or you’re new to the WFH life. WELCOME!
Team AFLV is entirely remote, so we know a thing or two about the joys and struggles of getting sh*t done while building a team remotely. Here are our top 5 tips.
This is not vacation
This time may create some of our toughest classes or the hardest work we do in our careers.
Students, you have to deal with a totally new way to learn. Organic chemistry is hard enough when your professor is available for office hours. Your GPA still counts toward grad school and scholarship applications. This is when you have to dig deep. Take advantage of our technology to see if your professor will offer one-on-one calls like office hours. Try a Google Hangout or FaceTime to have a study group if you’re struggling. If you can AirPlay your screen to a TV, it helps to stay engaged in your work.
Professionals are also working hard from home to keep our members and students safe. Many of us have facilities and residents we need to take care of and communicate with (and their advisors and parents). Headquarters professionals are navigating the logistics of dozens of different campuses and regulations. This is also the perfect time to do more of the big-picture, strategic and analytical work you need to do to move forward. You may have used “working from home” with air quotes in the past, but this is the real deal.
Set boundaries
Physical: If possible, try to designate a room or area in your home as a work zone. I live in a one-bedroom apartment, and some rules I set for myself include no laptop in my bedroom or on the couch. It helps me keep the bedroom as a place to sleep and the couch as a place to chill.
Interpersonal: This one is TOUGH, especially with most schools closed and kiddos at home. And ya know, dogs. If you’re at home and your parents are like mine, you may need to go old school with a “DO NOT DISTURB” or “CLASS IN SESSION” sign.
Make a Schedule: Stick to your typical schedule if that’s what your institution or employer has instructed. If you have the flexibility to set your own hours, set a schedule that works for you. This is a great chance to design a day that works for your sleep schedule, hunger cues and peak productivity. This also helps create some separation between work time and personal time, even if you’re physically in one space.
Put on real clothes
Many people imagine the work-from-home life to involve lots of pajamas and not a lot of pants. While that can be fun for a minute, I promise you that romping around in pajamas starts to feel gross around noon. No one is saying go full business casual. There should be one tiny perk to this. Just putting on some fresh athleisure will make you feel great.
Intentionally Connect
The nice thing about everyone being remote is that there’s no FOMO of what’s happening on campus or in the office. However, it does make it harder to build community.
We have a rule at AFLV. If a conversation is going to take longer than five minutes, we call each other on Teams. It’s our equivalent of popping into someone’s office.
Aside from efficiency, go out of your way to FaceTime or Zoom your brothers, sisters, teammates and friends. When you get into the zone while working, it doesn’t always organically happen to video chat. But the extra step of checking in while being able to see, hear and connect makes a huge difference.
You know you start to miss everyone over summer break. For some of you, this break will be twice as long. Make it a point to reach out to your brothers or sisters. In apps like Houseparty, you can even spontaneously jump into conversations or play games virtually.
Try to Move
COVID-19 has closed most gyms. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get fresh air or do something that makes you feel good. YouTube yoga is pretty legit. We’re fans of Yoga with Adriene. You can also walk the path less traveled (literally). Just getting out of your space and taking a walk usually keeps you within social distancing guidelines AND makes you feel great. Even trying to learn a TikTok dance helps get your blood flowing.
Regardless of what you do or if you move, it’s more important than usual to take breaks throughout the day to stay focused.
