The first step in eliminating overwhelm is to get organized so that you can meet all of your work needs while working from home. Having a "sacred" space will keep your work contained. Best yet, it will allow you to shut down at the end of the day and transition smoothly to family/leisure time. Go ahead and Google closet offices, they are totally awesome! 

Planning ahead of time will help structure your day so that you will have the time you need for work, family, leisure and alone time. You'll need to determine how much time you need for each and block it out. If you're trying to experiment with new daily habits, planning them into your day will help you keep consistent. 

We set boundaries to protect our personal energy. When we can clearly set boundaries, other people then know how to properly interact with you. Ex. Wearing a headset when you're working, closing the door while you're working, setting timers for when school work starts, having consistent meal times, setting an autoresponder that says you check and return emails between 8-10 am and 3-5 pm...

Do you want to give them the best of you or what's left of you? This question is one that I continually ask myself. The healthier we keep ourselves, the better our relationships and overall health. Not to mention, if we teach other how to care for themselves by modeling it, we can positively impact future generations!  

In a time where physical contact can bring dangerous consequences we need to rethink how we communicate with others. For us introverts, this time can be a dream come true if we are home alone, or a huge challenge if we are cohabitating with others. Create a safe space/sanctuary to recharge and schedule it into your day. If you're an extrovert and crave company, schedule in social time with others via Facetime, Skype or Zoom. Join online group fitness classes or social hours! 

New protocol, new expectations, decreased separation of activities all lead to excess "noise" in your head. Prioritizing your tasks and planning them out ahead of time will keep you from having to respond to distractions. Setting clear boundaries will keep people from interrupting your workflow. Minimize the number of decisions you need to make per day so you can be productive and meet your personal and professional goals. 

Once you know your top three priorities for your work day, break them down into smaller chunks. Flip a timer and race the sand as it flows, checking off task after task. Watch your productivity soar and space open up for self-care breaks between each sprint. Your day will fly by while meeting your goals.

Sitting at your computer all day can be daunting and cramp up your body. One way to integrate movement into your day is to use a visual task organizer (dry erase board, sticky notes, chalk board) to break down your top three priorities. As you "sprint" through each task beneath the goal, take the time to stand up, remove the item and put it to the side. This will allow you to stretch your legs AND create a completion pile for you to assess your productivity at the end of the day. 

Just because you're stuck at home doesn't mean you have to be uncomfortable. In fact, my "home office" is so much lovelier than my "work office." I can burn candles at home, I can have inspiring messages around, a big jar of water infused with lemon... Create an energizing and inspirational space. Other ideas include: an essential oil diffuser, white noise machine, or soft music. While these might not be ideal on the job, in your home you can create a space that speaks to your senses! 

In times of stress our body tenses and our breathing become shallow. Take the time during this quarantine to drop back into your body. Feel what is happening and be inquisitive with your senses. Think about your breath: breathe in for 5, out for 7, allow your ribcage to fully expand and contract. Upping the amount of oxygen to your blood will lift your mood, increase your energy, and decrease your stress! 

In this time of crisis and increased demands, it is helpful to know the minimum amount of work to still be effective. This will help you determine how much time you need to devote to each expectation too. Now is the time to release any perfectionist tendencies and let good enough be just that. As you get used to the new normal you can up the standards if you want, but not at the expense of your health or the care of yourself or your family.  

As we transition to working from home, we may feel less apt to go and exercise or create healthy meals. One idea I've subscribed to is creating a solid morning and evening routine that are non-negotiable. I know that if I don't get my exercise in before I hit my workload, the chances of me getting out there are slim to none. I also know that if I don't follow my evening routine, my morning exercise routine will fall to pieces. These two sacred routines contribute heavily to my ability to stay productive during the day. What sacred routines will help you? Yoga, meditation, food preparation, family time, exercise, journaling... 

We no longer have the water cooler, the bathroom that is on the the other side of the building, colleagues dropping in... aka, the natural breaks we had at the office. Take the time at home to get up and move around. Meditate for 10 minutes. Do yoga poses for 10 minutes. Deep breathe for 10 breaths, etc. You will find that you mind re-sets for another focused session on your work. Watch your productivity soar!

The answer is YES. In a fast paced world that is used to a punch clock, it is difficult to see the "value" of our work day. When does it end, when does it start? I hope we have fixed a lot of those questions and learned that it's more about productivity than it is about hours sitting in online meetings. I think the biggest lesson we can bring back to our institutions when this is over is that when we take care of ourselves (breaks, self-care...) we are far happier and that leads to productivity. Keep accountable to your projects and tasks, not the time on your clock.