It’s hard to watch the news these days. Global political upheavals, catastrophes and a certain pandemic mean everything seems a bit doom and gloom. As we lose control of our surroundings, it can be hard not to bring that anxious energy into our work environment. No matter how hard we try, sometimes it seems impossible to focus on what we’re supposed to be doing. But don’t worry art girls, we’ve got some tips to help you keep focused at work when it feels like the world is about to fall apart.
Be Easy On Yourself
First thing’s first: be kind to yourself. These are difficult times. Nobody’s going to scream at you if you finish something a tiny bit late. There’s a global pandemic happening and even the most difficult of bosses will be understanding. Acknowledge the situation and take a deep breath, it will make everything that little bit easier.
Adjust Your Schedule
Your work-life balance may have changed, your childcare arrangements may be different and you may no longer need to commute. Take a moment to look at your schedule and see how you can shake some things up. As most of us are now working from home, are we really taking that full hour at lunch like we might used to? If not, make sure that you do give yourself a break within the day. Be sure to stick to be strict with your working hours. You’ll feel so much better for it.
Talk To Your Colleagues
As we stay away from offices, it’s all too easy to forget to have REAL conversations with our colleagues. And by REAL we mean not via email or DM on Instagram. Take a moment to phone up your best work pals and see how they’re feeling. They may be in the exact same boat as you. Communication will allow you to support each other and swap tips.
Prioritise And Delegate
Make a to-do list and prioritise all the tasks that you need to do. By writing things down it will be easier to focus on the most important jobs at hand. There may even be tasks you can ask others to help you with. Concentrate on the items at the top of the list and then set aside a time to cross off everything.
Treat Work As An Escape
Think of work as your opportunity to switch off from everything else. Try your best not to check the news or twitter during these hours. Who knows, work may even become your time to get away from all of the crazy happening on our planet.
Take A Day Off
As we’re working from home many of us feel like we can’t or we don’t deserve a day off, and that is the furthest thing from the truth. It’s important to have some me time too. Take a couple of days away from the laptop. Some fresh air makes everything better and will provide an opportunity to really relax.
Text Lizzy Vartanian
