Thousands of Americans have found themselves thrown into the role of working remotely lately. While the idea of working from home sounds great, it does come with its challenges.

Many of you are trying to figure out how to work from home and also grappling with doing it while being a teacher, housekeeper, and chef. It’s a lot!

While we can’t give you tips on everything you’re juggling, we have some experience of working remotely and want to share what has worked for our team.

Here are TEN TIPS for how you can work from home and be as productive as possible during the COVID-19 quarantine:

1. HAve a start-up routine

This can look like: wake up, eat breakfast while listening to a podcast or music, brush your teeth, take a minute to “beautify”, maybe journal, or workout.
It doesn’t have to look exactly like what I just mentioned above, it just needs to be whatever it is for you to get your brain and body to say “okay, we are starting the day.”

2. Music is your medicine!

Music can help boost your mood and can help you stay focused.Try to stick with music that you’re familiar with or even more instrumental, so you don’t get distracted.

3. Have work clothes and chill clothes

Don’t worry… they can both consist of stretchy pants, but just try and get different stretchy pants to work in instead of still wearing the ones you slept in.
This is a physical act that tells yourself that it’s work time and helps kick your brain into that work mode.
Sometimes though, you may need to get full on dolled up. If you have a big project or something super important or intensive that you’re working on, getting full-on ready will help give you that boost you need to start working.
See what’s essential to you in getting yourself in “work mode.”

4. Schedule time for breaks

Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you have to work around the clock!
Pair your break with something you like - walks, a podcast, snacks, coffee, etc.
Research shows that breaks every 52 minutes are best!

5. Make your space special

Some of you might have a home office space, but others may not have the time, space, or budget to make that happen. If that’s you, just swap up the decor for wherever you’re working! Grab something from your bedroom or living room that you like to look at and make your little workspace yours, no matter how small or chaotic it is!

6. Set some rules

You can have a “closed-door policy” where if your door is closed, that means don’t bother you. Or maybe you are in a shared space and can implement a “headphone policy” where using headphones means, “don’t distract me.”
Let your family know what your rules are and establish a new normal.

7. Set a time for lunch

This is your time, so make the most of it! Take a walk, watch some TV, whatever it is that and help you refuel and recharge
DON’T sit in front of your computer and eat your lunch. You need that break.

8. Use all the emojis

Working from home means that communication is pretty much all through text, which means we can’t see the other person’s body language or hear their tone. Emojis can help get that tone across in a fun way.
This also helps keep things light during this stressful time.

9. Video with a side of video

Video communication with your team or residents is a great way to socialize while still respecting the social distancing rules.
With your team, this can become a great way to boost morale by just sitting down, having a moment together where it’s not all work work work, but you can just chat and have a happy hour.
Zoom and Loom are both great platforms that you can use to communicate with your team.

10. Don’t be mean

Don’t be mean to yourself! You’re just trying to figure it out and learn how to navigate all this as best as you can. Give yourself some grace.
It’s not something that comes naturally to everyone, but everyone is learning together. We’re all trying to find the new normal.
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t follow your schedule to a T, or the house is a disaster, or you don’t get everything done that you wanted to that day.

While we don’t know exactly what’s on the other side of this craziness, we do know that we have to take it one day at a time and try our best to figure out how to get through it. And guess what... We will! This will pass. We will work through it together.