Moving with the times

If someone had said to me at the start of this year that I would move back to my home town, work from home full-time, start singing lessons and lose 7 kilos then I would have never believed them! Yet here I am in October having done all of these things and more.

One thing that I can guarantee is that life doesn’t stop! It moves up, down, and sideways: change is inevitable.

Working from home since March has provided me with many opportunities to embrace change, learn new skills, and increase resilience.

Here are my top 5 tips on how to thrive in the current digital environment.

Structure your day like you would in the classroom or office

When working or studying from home, you are your own personal manager. Without things like a set schedule including breaks or a short walk between rooms to break up your day, you can be quick to lose focus or burn out.

To stay on schedule, structure what you’ll do and when over the course of the day. If you have an online calendar, create personal events and reminders that tell you when to shift priorities and start on new tasks. I use my calendar for everything, even to drink more water!

Use technology to stay connected

Working or studying from home might help you focus on your work in the short term, but it can also make you feel cut off from the larger community you would normally be around. Instant messaging and Zoom tools can make it easy to check in with friends or co-workers to remind you how your work is contributing to the big picture, while allowing you to have some fun along the way.

Take breaks

Like you would on campus, stop and have a coffee, lunch or 10 minute time-out. I have started using my breaks to do a 30 minute personal training session, hit the gym or go for a walk. I have found this personally helps me stay on track and I now have a lot more energy to focus on the rest of the day.

Utilise background noise

Listen to your favourite podcast or create a killer playlist for the day to pump yourself up, lift your energy and keep motivated for the day. Spotify currently have some great premade playlists if you need some extra motivation. If music isn’t your thing you could even turn the TV on for some background noise.

Be kind to yourself

Some days you will feel on top of the world and at times feel mentally exhausted. This has been a big period of change so be kind to yourself and if you need help or support reach out to friends or other UTS services for support and advice. The UTS counselling service is always available if you feel that you need to talk to someone or if you feel that you are experiencing any problems.

Remember to embrace the change and learn some new skills along the way!

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash