Blasters’ tips for staying sane
Working from home can be great. You can wear pajama bottoms all day, take breaks to hang with your dog – you can even sleep until 8:30 and still make it to the office on time! But there are challenges, too. For some of us, having a home office feels less like working in a comfortable space and more like you never leave the office. There are definitely some Blasters who have a hard time leaving work behind when suppertime rolls around, and some are tempted to keep working until the work is done. (And the work is NEVER done.)
A successful WFH scenario doesn’t just involve being productive, it also involves striking – and sometimes forcing – a balance. It’s super-important to ensure that the lines between work and home life stay solid, so you don’t end up working 24/7. Boundaries are key.
So, in addition to getting up at your regular wake-up time, getting showered and dressed, make sure you also set a carved-in-stone sign-off time. If you normally leave the office at 5:30, work until 5:30. Then STOP. If you’re sheltered at home with a partner or your family, let them know when you’re done working. Close your computer, step away from your desk and start focusing on yourself and the people (and animal companions) in your world.
Of course, you may need to respond to the occasional email or text. But for the most part, try to keep your evenings connected to the folks who matter to you. It’s so important.
“Remember to sign off for the weekend! While it may be easy to stay connected since we’re finding ourselves at home now more than ever, I think it’s important to separate work life from home life to stay motivated and avoid potential burn-out.” -Kristen Frizzelle, PR Specialist
Recharge with small breaks
There are pockets in the day when things slow down and you might find yourself in a funk. Instead of getting frustrated by trying to work through it, allow yourself breaks here and there to step away from the screen, regroup, take a stretch and clear your mind. Getting outside for some fresh air during your lunch break or taking a walk around the block can do wonders for your mental health. If the weather is nice, try taking your phone and laptop outside on the patio for a few hours to soak up that Vitamin D and change up your routine.
Cute front porch set-up
Being cooped up at home can cause a lot of us to go stir crazy, so it’s important to allow yourself to take a breather and recharge for the remainder of the day.
Make working from home FUN
Especially in this era of social distancing, working from home can seriously impact your mood and productivity, especially since you don’t have your co-workers around to laugh with or gossip about the latest Netflix obsession (ahem … Tiger King!). Figuring out ways to make working from home fun is key — and our Blasters are experts at keeping team spirits high while getting work done. We even have a Slack channel dedicated to our favorite memes of the moment.
Setting up a fun Zoom background (e.g., a vacation spot where you wish you were quarantining) is always a crowd favorite. We have a lot of fun trying to one-up our fellow Blasters with the most surprising background. Letting your kids and pets say hello on less formal video calls can brighten up any meeting, as well.
“I try to end each day with a virtual hangout with friends or family. It closes out the day on a high note!” — Alexis Roberts, Account Supervisor
It’s so important to stay socially connected with co-workers to make the days more enjoyable. Chatting about weekend plans, sharing your favorite quarantine meme, catching up on the latest celebrity gossip or binge-able Hulu series — all of this allows you to connect with your teammates on a personal level and ultimately keeps team bonds strong.
The little things that make you happy
Music is healing! Create a playlist with your favorite “pick-me-up” songs to motivate you if you’re feeling down, and share it with your co-workers to spread the good vibes. Pick a few that inspire your creativity while you’re working, a few others to keep you motivated while you knock the mundane items off your task list, and a few to sing along to as you grab your second copy of coffee or stretch between meetings.
There’s a reason shelters around the country are fresh out of cats and dogs right now. Sheltering at home means more people have time to spend training puppies and petting kittens, and – let’s face it – pets make you happy. We Blasters have always been animal people. Our founder has more dogs, cats and horses than we can count, and most of us have some kind of animal companion at home. If you have a dog, cat, bird, snake, hedgehog or whatever, you know how much joy they can bring. If your house is animal-free at the moment, I think we can all agree that this is a great time to consider adopting! Have a look at Petfinder.com – it’s more fun than browsing on Etsy!
Marie Snuggles Corbet & Odie gets a midday walk!
Take care of yourself
Blasters are a notoriously fit group. Among our ranks are marathon runners, yogis, cyclists, skiers and CrossFit devotees, just for starters. We understand the value of sweating out some of the stress, getting fresh air, or just finding some silence and stillness. Some of us love a sunrise run on the beach, others can’t face the day without their morning sun salutations, and a few of us like to stress-proof our day with a little heavy lifting.
For Blasters, it’s about getting focused and being the best we can be, but it’s also about taking some “me” time. That’s something we all need right now, and since there are no gyms or spas available, take that time outdoors or wherever you can. Fill your lungs with fresh air! Get out in the sunshine!
“I set up a home gym in my garage for quick work-outs and a sanity check throughout the day.” – Kaitlyn DeSimone, PR Coordinator
Garage work-out room
It may be tough to get/stay motivated right now, so if you’re not feeling it, that’s fine too. But try to get out for a walk or an easy bike ride if you can. Even a short walk around the block between meetings can do a world of good. You’ll be surprised by how much it lifts your mood, and how much more focused and happy you’ll feel afterward.
Blasters test out Star Trek and Joe Exotic on Zoom
At the end of the day, we’re stronger and better together. So be sure to (virtually) hug your co-worker, have fun on Zoom (or whatever platform you’re using) and check in on your teammates. Take care of yourself while working from home and stay productive by getting ready for the day, taking a walk when you need a break, creating a dedicated workspace, checking off that to-do list — and ultimately making the most of working from home. Oh, and at the end of the workday … cheers!
Stay tuned for the final installment of our work from home advice at the end of the week!
