IN the past few days, the inevitable has happened. Taking a page from what other countries have done, the government has declared the whole of Luzon on enhanced community quarantine for a month. And most of us find ourselves having to stay home and work from home (WFH).
We are not alone. In an Elle interview, no less than the famous
J.Lo herself says, “We’re all stuck at home right now. I am! Everybody’s quarantined and the world is upside down and crazy. So, we gotta make lemonades out of lemons right now, don’t we?”
She adds, “We have to find ways to focus and work from home, but also finding ways to keep our spirits high.”
But what can PR Pros do? In an article in PR News, “How PR Pros Can Trick Their Senses into Thinking a Home Office is The Office,” Seth Arenstein suggests to attempt to make your home office feel relatively close to your company’s office. He recommends that PR pros:
- Set up regular work hours;
- Have a pre-work routine (wash, make the bed, drink coffee, put on shoes and socks, etc.);
- Designate a workspace at home that’s separate from your living space;
- Carve out a regular lunch period;
- Take periodic breaks; and
- Avoid doing personal, non-related work tasks during work hours.
In Vogue.com, Michelle Ruiz shares with us 11 Tips for Working from Home, for the Uninitiated. Ruiz, a freelance writer, has been working remotely for the past six years because of her job, and has picked up a few best practices along the way, which we could use at this time.
1. Exercise during your would-be commute.
“Working from home is a gravitational pull toward sloth-like behavior, but getting a sweat in, even if briefly, starts the day on a more energetic note,” Ruiz says.
She recommends that we “seize the time in the morning that you’d normally spend getting to the office and do a home workout class (the Peloton app has yoga, strength, and boot camp classes that you could stream to your TV), or take a jog or walk in your yard.
2. Exile any family members if possible. Or simply space out
Ruiz suggests that if “children/caregivers/spouses/roommates will be home when you work, delineate a space that is yours and discuss the hours you’ll need space and privacy. Locked doors are sometimes necessary.”
3. Shower and change your clothes
Dress the part, as this will be helpful in getting you into a work mode. Of course, we can’t wear office clothes at home, but something you wear during weekends can make you feel like a functioning adult and get you to start working. No PJs or house clothes, please.
4. Embrace podcasts
Ruiz says that, “with no work friends around, and the thick sound of silence in the air, podcast hosts have become my faux friends.” She feels less lonely with “Michael Barbara explaining the news to me to The Daily; Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber reporting what Rita Ora is up to on Who? Weekly for providing the weekly pop culture/politics download.”
Here, you can do your own research while at home. YouTube has a treasure trove of information on different subjects.
5. But also: Make fellow WFH friends
These days, these would be your officemates or business colleagues who are similarly homebound. Create your own Facebook messenger or viber accounts to keep in touch.
Ruiz has made many WFH friends over the years, who have given her “structure, accountability, and inspiring aforementioned showers.” She also gets a boost from “old-school phone chats with friends or relatives who have flexible schedules.”
6. Log out of Twitter or your preferred social media
Ruiz shares a tip with us: “There’s nothing and no one stopping you from near constant media scanning while WFH, but signing out has a chastening effect.”
Instead of “clicking right in to an endless stream of content, you’re greeted with a log-on screen, and reminded you’re supposed to be doing work, not looking at your third-grade best friend’s gender reveal on Instagram.”
7. Don’t become Cinderella
Working at home comes with the realization that many chores and projects await. How to balance the two?
We may follow the example of Ruiz who says she “likes to do a quick straightening up in the morning…but not try to let too much housework seep into work-work hours.” This she calls a “noble form of distraction and procrastination.”
8. Set boundaries
WFH certainly does not mean not working at all, so set a time schedule for your working hours, and a separate workspace.
9. Beware idle snacking
Overeating is an occupational hazard of working from home. While Ruiz endorses eating and snacking, this should not be for eight hours straight. Instead “stocking healthy food like fruits, chopped vegetables, and peanut butter—helps.”
10. Make yourself a decadent lunch
From her experience, Ruiz says that the work from home vortex “can mean coming to at pm, and realizing you never ate lunch, only to grab a granola bar or a container of leftovers and call it a day.”
Of course, we will tire of fast food takeouts and leftovers, so this may be a good time to practice new recipes and make a delicious lunch you and your family will love.
Ruiz’s 11th tip is “Or better yet, go out to lunch!” which is not possible during this time. Nevertheless, embrace your WFH status, and as Beyonce and J.Lo would say, turn lemons into lemonade.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.
Image credits: Mariia Boiko | Dreamstime.com