New Year, Same Monotonous Virtual Work Routine: Time for a Refresh!

It’s finally 2021!  As the world collectively lets out a cautious breath, hopeful for something better than 2020, many of us are preparing to log onto our computers from home and muddle through the same stale routine we’ve had for the last 9 months.  Back to back Zoom or Microsoft Team calls, sitting in the same spot for 8, 10 maybe 14 hours, forgetting what day or even what month it is...  

We’re still in a pandemic, and we all need to continue to give ourselves some grace as we continue to face these difficult times.  So let’s talk about a few changes you can make for you and your teammates to freshen up your day to day routine.

1) Switch up your space.  Last year with so many unknowns, finding a new normal was key.  Establishing a set workspace and work from home routine was critical when the entire world was in the grips of uncertainty almost overnight.  But look around, what can you do to change your view?  Can you reposition your workspace?  Is there a different spot you can work in once a week just to switch things up?  When was the last time you put a new wallpaper on your desktop?  Have you played with your lighting around to ease the strain on your eyes?  These are just a few of the no cost and low cost ways to refresh your space and make it feel brand new.

2) Take a break.  Remember lunch breaks?  Rolling out of bed and stepping right into work has made it more difficult to set a boundary between work and everything else.  We often find ourselves quickly scarfing down a snack or something else. Breaks are more important now than ever. It’s so easy to lose track of time when we are in the same place doing similar things for extended amounts of time. Your mind and your body need, and deserve, a break. You’re also more likely to eat something that fuels you instead of consuming empty calories to take the edge of hunger pains if you take the time to stop and eat. 

As a bonus, doing something to distinctly differentiate work time from non-work time can help you avoid constantly dividing your attention so it never feels like you’re off.  Even the most driven worker can’t sustain that for long without it having an impact.  It can lead to difficulty sleeping, impact our ability to be ‘present’ with our family and friends be it in-person time with kids, spouses, or others in our households, a good snuggle with a pet, or a text, phone or video call with a dear friend or extended family member.

3) Get creative with movement.  Switch off the video for one of those calls and get your steps in for a half an hour.  Move around the house, do a couple of jumping jacks or stretches.  While you’re on that much needed lunch break, put on a jacket and get some fresh air even if for a just a few minutes. Getting your heart rate up a bit and giving yourself a change of scenery and activity will break the monotony of the day and make that break a rejuvenating one.

Studies show that even the slightest change, no matter what it is, has benefits in the way that we perform.  So make a point to change one thing the next time you log into that computer and before you know it, you’ll actually remember what day it is.

Happy New Year, Readers!  Wishing you a safe an prosperous 2021!