It is All in the Mind
A little Motivation for all the SuperWomen Working from Home during the Covid-19 Lockdown
SuperWomen Work from Home
Post Covid-19, many lost their jobs, salary cuts, and work from home started becoming normal. Social distancing locked us down more than the lockdown itself.
“I have no idea what’s awaiting me or what will happen when this all ends. For the moment I know this: there are sick people and they need curing.”
Albert Camus, ‘The Plague.’
How scrupulously Camus have captured and depicted our contemporary critical and crucial Covid-19 period.
Death walked cobblestoned streets of the plague-bound globe centuries ago. Now after CoVid-19 hit us, every human is forced to isolate him-or-herself from their heart’s dear and near ones. News about death, sickness, economic crises are sluicing from the media platforms. Depressive thoughts, social distancing, and the presentiment of the future are driving people into desperation.
You may want to curl up on that comfy sofa, binge-watch Netflix, and finish the last tub of ‘Ben & Jerry’. You wish to hide in oblivion, away from this catastrophically woven tapestry of Corona-infested world. However, your work needs your immediate attention. Mails are awaiting your reply, calls are yearning to be attended, PPTs are to be made; but, you are not motivated- at all.
It is, indeed, troublesome to stay motivated and to work from your home amidst all the whistles of the pressure cooker, crying toddlers, thumbing of your partner’s keyboard, or worse in the silence of solitude.
How can you overcome his hurdle? How will you get accustomed and balance this new work-life pattern?
Adventure is dangerous, but ROUTINE is lethal!
New times call for new changes. But, does that mean you have to forsake your previous routine? No morning coffee from the downtown café, no jogging in the park. Languid and anguish have started to rule your mind. Your productivity has plummeted. There is no adventure, there is no routine. You are befuddled and without a clue, you are watching the horizon, with one question in your muddled mind.
How will you stay motivated when you are shackled to your home?
Another Day To Follow Your DAILY ROUTINE!
During the pre-corona period, did you used to wake up before the sun to hit the gym? Though, you may not be able to hit the gym, wake up on 6-on-the-dot and hit your living-room-gym. Those impulsively bought ‘Thera-Bands’ and medical balls will aid you in your home workout. Go to YouTube, it has numerous home work-out videos. Maybe you can spice up your workout with a partner workout or better pet workout. And don’t forget to post it on Instagram!
A day started with exercises will pump your veins with blood and motivation.
Follow your regular routine to the dot. Strikeout those that would need you to step out of your house. You can even add one or two new ones to your list.
Wake-up & Work Your Work Routine!
During the pre-corona era, you snooze the alarm, jump from your bed to hit the gym, then a hurried shower, suit up or dress up, and run to your office with a slice of bread hanging dangerously from your mouth.
Now it is work-from-home! So you will snooze your alarm, scratch your head and take two steps to your work desk to start working.
STOP!!!
The tendency to work from your bed or in your shorts will produce Lazy-Hormones in your brain system, resulting in the drop of motivation.
Wake up, have a shower, get dressed for your job. Create an ad-hoc office in a corner of any room sans your bedroom. A room with a door would be perfect, so when you close the door, it sends a message of ‘Do-not-disturb-me-It’s-work-time’ to your flatmates or family members. The door will also help you to shut down unnecessary noises and distractions. A computer, high-quality Internet connection, a desk, ergonomic chair and stationaries will help you to create an office-bureau ambience at your home. This will throttle your brain to create a work-mode in your mind, enabling you to be more productive.
Start the day with a team check-in. Establish working hours, ask your employees to follow the schedule, do consistent video conferencing, do consistently coordinate and communicate. Create a detailed daily or weekly project plans or to-do lists, assign specific individuals or teams. These measures will ensure the employees to remain proactive and productive.
Do not forget to have virtual coffee and lunch breaks!
Connect in Isolation with the Internet!
No weekend brunches or evening walks through the central park. The plague has sentenced us to isolation. You miss your heart’s dears. You fear your dear’s health but are powerless to give them solace.
Or are you someone you never got time to spend time with your loved ones?
Have virtual dinner with your family and friends. Celebrate your colleague’s birthday with a virtual homemade-pizza-party; give online cheers to your office buddy for his or her achievement, group chat with your friends or office buddies or better have a one-to-one video call to give the latest office gossip.
If your home with your family, crave some time for them: play with your kids, cook with your spouse or talk with your parents and watch the sunset from your backyard.
These virtual interactions will help you to feel less lonely and it will also aid you to be hopeful in this grim scenario.
Take this time to upgrade your professional relationships. Upgrade your LinkedIn profile, and give your website a creative touch and boost your online presence through consistent posting in all your social media platforms. Maybe write a blog on your technical skills or make a YouTube Vlog on how you are staying motivated in this dark time. And thus, make revenue online
There are numerous online avenues available, traverse them to stay sanguine in this starless cold night.
Dust off your Hobbies or Hatch a New one!
Pick up that hard-covered book you bought in a bygone day, wipe the dust off the cover, sit back and start reading it. Start writing your thoughts; create a journal. Or, pick up a new hobby, learn a new language, improve your culinary skills. Walk into your backyard and tend those beautiful plants. Sit in a comfortable position and meditate. Your brain needs a break.
Remember, that guitar classes you went for a couple of months ago, it is time to practice.
Binge-watch all the Netflix shows you wanted to see.
Maybe watch a Disney movie with your toddler or a romantic movie date night with your spouse.
Make a routine to indulge in distractions. Spend an hour to scroll in Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. Read news about Covid-19 in this time, worry as much as you want for an hour and move onto your next task in your to-do list. Reading too much about it can make you anxious leading to mental and physical health issues.
It is difficult to differentiate days as we all are stuck at our home. When the humdrum of staying in your home settles in our daily to day life, we tend to be unenergetic and unmotivated. We may overwork or overindulge. Thus, we need a routine, and must stringently follow it. Exercise, eat healthy, follow your daily work schedule, virtually interact with your loved ones, pick up new hobbies and take time for yourself. Do not inject your brain with fake news, divert your thoughts with work and hobbies. It is a god given time to take care of your mental and physical health. Sleep well. Wake up and do your quotidian tasks, stick to your work schedule, finish off by 5 and spend time with your family.
Couches are for Netflix, desks are for work and hope for staying safe and healthy.
Remember this too shall pass!!!
“…Couches are for Netflix, desks are for work and hope for staying safe and healthy.
Remember this too shall pass!!!…”
What an end!!
You are an amazing writer. Thanks for this beautiful piece.