By Lahari Kandamuru

Work from home!! Online classes, presentations and assignment submissions!! Because of COVID-19, most schools, colleges and companies are on lockdown. Many of them resolved to do their duties from the comfort of their home. The first reaction for the majority of people, when told to work from home, must’ve been bliss. And as considerable time has passed, the initial excitement would’ve worn off. I’m positive most of them are now eligible to do a “‘Expectations vs. Reality’ of Work from Home” videos.

For those, who are trying to find the right balance to navigate this situation and adjust to the transition… Here are a few things to take the mind off of this difficult period. That also paves the way to a much healthier, a stress-free lifestyle we always dreamed of.

Meditation

Almost everyone once in their life decides to take this up seriously. If anyone reading this article were successful, my hearty congratulations to you!! As we all know, the benefits of meditating for 15 minutes are enormous. Working or studying amongst several distractions at home isn’t easy. There are chances to get distracted while we’re supposed to be doing something. Lack of attention leads to stress and anxiety. As coffee or lunch breaks with colleagues, buddies aren’t a part of our day anymore.

Address these issues by starting to meditate. By making meditation a part of the day. Many studies show it improves self-awareness and reduces age-related memory loss. There are many of us, who look for a pen that’s right in our hand. Now is the time to let these silly worries go.

Exercise

All the time spent waiting for traffic to clear and reach home can be now utilised to stay healthy and fit. Our brain might start firing up excuses like ‘It’s best to stay home. The gym can wait’. While it is true that we need to wait to go to a gym as safety is of utmost importance now. Exercising doesn’t need to be set aside.

Several YouTube channels and applications guide a beginner through the exercises. There are free, as well as paid applications. Take time out to find out what works best. Exercise improves our concentration and thus managing our work gets easier. And after the lockdown, we can always enter ourselves into a marathon!!

To-do List

Maintaining a to-do list for the daily tasks we need to finish, is an effective way to stay motivated. With everyone adjusting to this new routine, we don’t have anyone to remind us of our deadlines. This is where a ‘To-Do list’ comes in handy.

Writing down what we need to do helps in prioritising what is important and what is not. It will also help in keeping track of our progress. We can then chill with Netflix finishing our tasks without guilt or worry.

Ample Sleep

For employees with deadlines and hefty work, having a sound sleep is necessary. Though it is difficult to adapt, as there’s a lot to do… and with the boss’s pressure to finish the report by the morning. Reminding ourselves that health comes first is important. Starting the day having a sound sleep will boost productivity. This will help in making up for the lost time. In the workspace, nothing is better acknowledged than efficiency.

Family Time

Moving around the same four or five rooms gets boring. Hence confining ourselves into binge-watching favourite shows should be avoided. We may not go crazy, but it will definitely take a toll on the health, physical as well as mental.

Spending time with siblings, parents, part-taking in the daily activities etc., is beneficial. Watch each other’s favourite movies or shows. Create a list of things that everyone might enjoy as a family. Creativity knows no bounds!! Make good use of it.

Though obvious and simple, the seeds of these few things reap benefits for years to come. Let us make the most of our time by cultivating habits and routines we always wanted to, and come out healthy. Stay safe!!!

About the Author:

Lahari is a writer currently based in Bengaluru, India. She finds her refuge and catharsis in writing. She can be reached at laharikandamuru.1995@gmail.com