Two weeks ago, I flew back home to Taipei and immediately started my 14-day quarantine monitored by an official. I feel fortunate that I didn’t experience too much frustration and anxiety at the time, so I’d like to share my experience with you as to how I stay productive when working from home, and the appreciation I learned in these two weeks.
- Dress up nicely even though you are at home
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It is tempting to stay in your pajamas all day without makeup at home. I agree with being as comfy as possible during the weekend, but I recommend you still dress up how you normally do on campus or at work during the weekdays, even though you are not seeing people or going anywhere. Getting ready is a daily ritual that can help you get mentally ready for the day. I’ve tried it at home, and it definitely improves my productivity by reminding me what I should be doing instead of chilling and relaxing all day in my bed.
- Keep up with habits and plans
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I benefit a lot from keeping a journal and planning my day the night before. The structures and rules in my life can motivate me to finish everyday tasks and minimize distractions. What you would be doing on campus should be exactly copied to your home, as you still have responsibilities during quarantine and social distancing.
- Stay connected to people you love and care about
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We are just physical distancing, and we should keep socially connected with the advanced technology available to us. I always feel my emotions and energy levels elevated after hearing my friends’ voices and ensuring that they are doing well. Put calling your friends in your daily schedule, or plan to have a virtual brunch together. Even though we are in a stressful period of time, we are not alone, as everyone feels the same way. As everyone shares similarities, we should be more considerate and cheer each other up.
- Remember, this is just a special part of our life journey
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I know it is hard to think that everything is alright when it really isn’t. What I mean is, try to think of this period of time as one of the challenges you have encountered in life. Remember the time when we were so stressed out at school and complained that we didn’t have time for ourselves? Now it’s time! As long as we are healthy, we can still do lots of things at home and understand ourselves even better. We can also use this time to learn something different or do something creative, as there are plenty of resources on the Internet.
During a crisis, it is especially important for us to stay calm and be in the present moment since the future is full of uncertainty. Therefore, we should focus on what we can control in our current lives rather than panic about the uncontrollable future. Appreciate every moment, find something to do, develop a new hobby, and stop complaining about being bored at home. We can get through this together, and we’ll soon be able to hug each other when autumn comes.
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