Pandemic Productivity
How to manage your time while working from home
I’m going to give you strategies on how to be productive while working from home during the pandemic. But first: some perspective.
If you are working from home under lockdown and worrying about how to be more productive, then consider yourself fortunate.
You are lucky to have your health—if you had COVID-19 you’d be too busy coughing your lungs out to worry about productivity. And it could be worse: you could have come down with a severe case and ended up in the hospital. Besides your health, you are also fortunate to be able to work from home instead of not being able to make money or, alternatively, being forced to go to work where conditions are likely less safe than at home.
As fortunate as some of us are, the pandemic still sucks. And there are lots of reasons right now not to punish yourself if you are feeling less productive than you might want to be.
These are not normal times. Mounting research shows that lockdown is detrimental to one’s mental health. The health threat of the novel coronavirus itself is frightening and stressful; plus social isolation has been shown to be seriously injurious to health, mental as well as physical.
Instead of beating yourself up, consider doing some pandemic-related good. Write a letter to the editor, call your federal and state representatives, or get active in local governance, whether it be at the city or county level. And remember: right now, just doing well enough at the tasks associated with our new normal is a reason to pat yourself on the back. Homeschooling your children, and keeping house while all the members of the household are squeezed inside—these are worthy accomplishments, nothing to sneeze at.
If you still have a yen for self-improvement during the pandemic, let me make a few suggestions. Our universe of experience shrunk because of the lockdown and social distancing. Lots of options are off the table. So, focus positive attention where you can. If you miss going to the gym, take super long walks with loved ones or on your own. If you feel guilty or lame for not learning a new language or how to code or what-have-you, I suggest upping your cooking game instead. Add some new dishes to your repertoire, learn some new kitchen techniques, buy some uncommon ingredients. Spice it up! You are cooking anyway. That’s where you can most easily focus your desire to improve yourself. Similarly you could concentrate your efforts toward amelioration on other things you are already doing: perfect the pedagogy of the homeschool you’re now the principal of; concentrate on your relationships—be the best friend, sibling, parent or partner you can be. Maybe call your cousins too.
Before turning to what I recommend as the best productivity and anti-procrastination strategies, one more word on the pandemic lockdown.
No matter your goals, there are some things you should be doing just to stay sane and physically healthy if you are in lockdown. Consider this a public service announcement.
You need structure. Write up a schedule and stick to it. Regularity and some level of routine are conducive to mental health. Separate your workspace from your living space. Be as social with friends and family outside the home as social distancing will allow. Get regular exercise. Experience nature. Exercising with friends out of doors will let you kill three winged descendants of flightless dinosaurs with one stone. Meeting friends at the park for a workout covers socialization, exercise and nature. Staying 12 feet apart is recommended, but we’re adults we can do it.
These are trying times. You are likely ego-depleted. So take it easy on yourself. Forgive yourself a bit more than you would in the before-times, when we all raced like rats after the cheese of the American Dream, so-called.
Enough. If you’ve read this far and still want productivity tips, I’ve got you covered. Stay tuned.