Update: This post was pre-UK Lockdown. So yes it’s completely out the window now we have a toddler at home all day!!
These are crazy times we’re living in, folks. I know most of us are anxious about what’s going to happen and how long the coronavirus pandemic is going to last. But throughout the stress and panic (and boredom of self-isolation), I’ve found it useful to get some structure back in my life. To have a routine I can rely on and feel like I’m somewhat in control of my life.
So I thought it might give you a little insight into my new normal if I jotted down my working from home routine. It includes some ways I’m making the most of the situation as well as how I’m staying productive. But I’m really keen to get your feedback too. Some of you have already sent me your tips on my Instagram post last week, but if you have any more – holla!
My New Working From Home Routine
Morning Get Ready
My morning routine when I get up has stayed fairly the same. Josh and I take turns to get up with Indi as she tends to wake-up early, and then we swap parenting duties so the other can get ready. I’m trying to keep this part business as usual. I’m still getting dressed and putting make-up on, albeit-minimal. I feel like that makes me mentally ready to work, y’know?
As I’m home in the day now, I’ll also put some washing on in the morning as I know it will be ready to take out at lunchtime. (It’s a washer dryer so will be ready to put away.)
We’re also still taking Indi to my mum’s house in the day, taking it in turns to drop her round each morning. My mum is our childcare (and Josh’s mum has her one day a week), but both are quite young nans so aren’t in the high risk category. Plus, I don’t know how I would do any work with Indi at home and I’m keen to work hard for my salary during this weird period. I’m grateful I still have one tbh, not everyone is so lucky. I know you’re meant to be social distancing right now, but these are the only people we’re seeing so they’re more like immediate family.
Setting Up My Work Space
Before I get started with work, I’ve noticed that I’m more productive, and mentally a bit happier, if I start my WFH day with a bit of organisation. I make sure my desk is set-up right, I light a candle, make a cup of tea, grab some toast for my breakfast and start downloading the podcasts I want to listen to that day (currently catching up with Office Ladies). It’s this kind of routine that gets me ready to work.
Speak To Colleagues
I load up my emails and once my team are all online we have a little debrief on the work instant messager we have (pretty much like MSN back in the day, but without angsty song lyrics as your display name). Again it gets me into work mode but it’s also nice to just talk to other people, see what they did at the weekend, how they’re coping with this lifestyle change. We’re all a bit shell-shocked but I think it’s more important than ever to keep that work banter going.
At the beginning of the week I also send an email to my boss with the tasks I will be working on that week, as well as what my team are working on. It’s one of those things where you want to prove to your boss that you’re actually working! But also, I think it gives me a bit of clarity on what I’m doing.
Get Cracking with Work
Off the back of emailing my boss my workload list, each Monday, I create a planner for my week. I write down Monday-to Friday with space to write my work tasks and my personal tasks for the day. It makes me feel in control and means that every morning when I sit down to work, I immediately know what I have to do that day.
I think it depends what line of work you do, but for me I tend to have chunky tasks rather than lots of little things to do. So I give myself one or two tasks each day to concentrate on. And I make that my deadline. Even if I could easily roll it over to the next day, I know that I NEED deadlines to do things. So I’m strict on myself and tell myself that is my daily priority and it’s the one thing I have to complete.
And I’m off! The work properly begins, the podcasts are on, let’s get cracking.
Productive Lunchtime
Lunchtimes when you’re WFH are super productive. Y’know I said I have personal tasks on my weekly planner? Well this is when I get them done. I’ll take out the washing and put it away, or I’ll do a housework task like cleaning the bathroom or dusting.
I’ve also started to make lunchtime yoga my new ~thing~. I’m not going to the gym right now for obvious reasons (the apocalypse), but recently I’ve been getting into going swimming on my lunch breaks. I didn’t want to lose that part of my day, so this is my little exercise routine now I’m WFH – just 20 mins of yoga from online tutorials on YouTube. I’m watching lots of different channels at the moment and haven’t settled on a regular. But my core has started aching so it’s definitely doing something!
Finally I make sure I eat something delicious to keep me going and check in with my pals on the group chat.
Afternoon Slump
It turns out I’m less productive in the afternoons when I’m working from home. Which is weird because I was more productive in the afternoons when I was in the office!
Now that I know this, I’ve adjusted my routine accordingly. So that big thing I had to get done that day? I’m making sure I crack on with it in the morning so that I can get at least the majority done, leaving less for the pm. Or if I do complete it in the morning, I do all of the little admin jobs in the afternoon. Y’know, emails, team stuff, the bits that don’t require intense concentration. (A lot of my job is complicated spreadsheets so I save these for the mornings.)
Snacks are vital for this part of my day – chocolate digestives are my biscuit of choice – and I do start getting a little restless come 3pm. So I’ve started injecting a little break here, just for a quick 10 minute walk around the block for some fresh air. Obvs staying at least 2m away from any neighbours! #socialdistancing
When it starts getting towards the end of the day, I get things ready for Indi’s return. Put her dinner on, get the living room ready for her, that kind of thing. Then I logoff and try to make sure that really is the end of my working day. Work and personal life gets quite blurry whilst WFH so I’m trying to make it like I’ve left the office, putting everything away and making a point of forgetting about work and getting back into mum mode.
Evening Priorities
The positive part of working from home is that I no longer have a commute. So where normally I would finsih work at 4.30pm, drive to my mum’s to pick up Indi then drive across town to get home at 5.45pm, I now get Indi delivered to my door at 4.30pm. So that’s over an hour of extra time to play with my girl, give her dinner and relax into the evening.
I also make sure to have dinner with Josh and watch an episode of something on Netflix. We’re both working from home right now, but in different rooms, so we don’t really see each other in the day.
Then in the evening I’m prioritising self care. Ugh I hate saying that, I sound like a really annoying Instagrammer. But with all of the current anxiety, I know it’s important for my mental health to look after myself. I’ll have a bath, do a nice mini skincare routine, write a daily gratitude list and have an early night. Ready to do it all again in the morning!
So that’s my current WFH routine, gang! What is yours looking like?! We’re all in this together (a la High School Musical) and this soon shall pass. Stay safe, kiddo.
Head on over to my Instagram and Twitter pages for regular updates on my travels self-isolation, millennial motherhood staying sane with a toddler indoors and (quarantine) life in general.