Think fast: which sweatpants are you wearing right now? As many of us adjust to working from home for the near future, your work wardrobe may have blurred with your pajama drawer, and hey, those video calls can only see you from the waist up. Beyond being comfortable, feeling safe and sane in this new reality is a work in progress. Here are a few tips that may help.
Boost your online security
Safety first, folks. With all the adjustments to working from home, setting up a VPN might have fallen off your radar. Wait, what’s a VPN again? The short answer is that a virtual private network, or VPN, safeguards your online activities by encrypting your personal data and shielding it from the broader internet. VPNs use complex encryption technologies so that your personal IP is masked, and only the VPN’s server and location is shown.
VPNs protect your privacy by blocking companies’ ability to track and record information from your online activities. They beef up your security so you won’t be a victim of breaches and threats, and they make downloading large files safer. Basically, you shouldn’t surf without this crucial protection.
Connect with your coworkers
Didn’t realize how much you’d miss that friendly coworker banter at the coffee machine? Take it digital. Turning work days into theme days is a great way to mix it up: just alert all your coworkers that tomorrow is your favorite pet, team, or recipe day, and share away. Then, toast to making it through another week with a virtual happy hour with a twist, like online real-time trivia games.
But disconnect, too
Kids; conference calls; cooking. There’s a lot going on right now. Setting boundaries to delineate between your work and personal time will shore up your sanity. Block off your calendar for things that boost your mental health, like a midday meditation break. Communicate when you’ll be offline and set an away status on your messaging apps, so coworkers know when to reach out and when to wait until tomorrow.
Do what moves you
Log on to a social media dance party. Try a Youtube class or search for apps offering free trial periods with a library of WFH-friendly workouts. Or, build your own standing desk. Exercising requires more creativity these days, but it can also be rewarding in new ways — like supporting your local yoga studio while seeing your favorite instructor through live virtual classes.
Consume content mindfully
Set limits on phone time, so you don’t become a zombie scrolling into the wee hours of the night. But also: consider turning off your screen time notifications on your phone, because there’s no need to add guilt to the mix right now. We’re all online more these days. You can, however, surf mindfully, checking the news enough to stay informed but not so often that it consumes all your time and mental energy.
Define what self-care means to you
Maybe it’s bubble baths and face masks, maybe it’s world-building video games, or maybe it’s both. Self-care rituals look different for everyone, and this is a great time to find what works for you. Think mood-boosting activities that can be done from your bathroom, living room, backyard, or whatever space you’re calling home while sheltering in place.
