Tips For Working At Home: Take a Break

Take a Break

Working from home IS stressful. Being forced to work from home because of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is WAY more stressful. Am I going to get sick? Will my friends and family stay healthy? How secure is my job? How and when will I be able to school my children? And what am I going to do now that my office is in my dining room?

Let's start off acknowledging our anxiety. Close your eyes and take a deep breathe. When I started working from home 6+ years ago, I made a lot of mistakes. I understand everyone's situation is unique and difficult. But, let me share my experience to help avoid the pitfalls of working from home.

1) Why we need breaks - Isn't it just a waste of time? Absolutely not. Working without breaks causes you to burnout with stress and exhaustion. A break allows you to recharge and stay motivated. You're just like a race car, you need to take a pit stop to change your tires and refuel if you want to win the race. Time for yourself will improve your productivity.

2) When to take breaks - This can be different for everyone. What works for me is a 15-minute break at mid-morning. A 30-minute lunch. And another 15-minute break in the mid-afternoon. Are you stuck on a project; take it earlier. Maybe something amazing is happening; then delay your break.

3) Take the full break - It's important to recharge your battery so you'll last through the day. Bored? Take the dog for a walk. Bake cookies. Practice the guitar. Do some light yard work. Do your bi-weekly grocery shopping. Do yoga, exercise, or meditation. Check-in with family. Power nap. Read a book. Find what works best for you.

4) What to avoid - Turn off the TV, especially 24-hour cable news. "It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life" https://emergency.cdc.gov/coping/selfcare.asp

Avoid social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Not only is is a black hole of time, but has many psychological negative impacts because they are designed to create conflict and controversy. Usage has also been connected to sleep disorders and addiction. You need to relax; not find more stress.

Also, having a refrigerator so close can lead to mindless boredom snacking. I don't keep junk food in the house for that reason.

5) Teaching Your Kids - Coordinate your schedules and make a routine. Try eating your meals together, schedule online classes, share breaks, time to read and work on assignments, online social time with friends, and reviewing homework together. Easier said than done. So, be flexible and patient with your kids and yourself.

6) Celebrate successes - Find small ways to celebrate your successes. It can be disappointing making a sale, closing a deal, or whatever and not being able to tell someone. It can be a snack, taking a bit of a longer break to play a game, or breaking open a nip bottle of alcohol.

7) When you can't take breaks - Let's admit it: sometimes we can't take breaks. But, there are a couple things we can do: a) alternate between solitary work and partnering with a colleague over Zoom/MS Teams, b) rotate logical work (writing, math, spreadsheets) and creative tasks (presentation design, team meeting, anything visual). While a poor substitute for breaks, it does have some benefits.

8) Nights and weekends - Close the door to your temporary office (if you have one). At least put a towel over your work space in the corner of the living room. This is your time to be with your family. Stay-at-Home orders can add stress to boredom. We all need something to look forward to after work and school. I suggest selecting "theme nights." Here are some of my favorites: pizza night, B-movie night, wino weekend, ice cream Sunday, backyard camping night, evening nature walk, family Zoom night, game night, driveway chalking, and countless others. Are your kids or roommates musical? Then have a "band night." DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!!!

Have any questions? Please feel free to contact me.

More Having Fun During Coronavirus

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/covid-19coronavirus-resources.html

Mike Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.

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