Sitting in your room, zoom call after zoom call, can seem like a much more hyperbolised version of the deepest déjà vu. Staring at your screen can get tedious and listening to your professors in the midst of turbulent internet connections can be an absolute pain. Of course, you’re glad you’re safe and well enough to attend online classes and stay at home. But you can’t help the feeling of being perpetually stuck in a horrific time loop of textbooks, zoom calls, and blurry days that bleed into each other.
However, there are some ways that can help you feel better. They are relatively small, but contribute towards curating a routine and giving you a break from all the stress and hectic work schedules you are experiencing from the vacuum of your own home.
1. Setting a Schedule
By timing out your day, not only will you feel more productive, but you will be in control of your own mindset. What time you wake up and what you choose to get done sets up the entire tone for your day. Planning out a detailed schedule, or even a checklist, can help you get back on track. Make sure to include one to two things that you will definitely get done during the day. This will make you happier, instil a successful mindset, and urge you to carry on in this organised manner again.
2. Laptop Breaks
It’s no question that we’ve all been getting more headaches after staring at screens all day. Most of the time, we can’t help it. Our assignments, lectures, and meetings are all on there. And sometimes blue light glasses may not be enough. Actively scheduling in breaks away from your screen can help alleviate the workload pressure and allow you to relax in the midst of your hectic days. The breaks don’t have to be long; a mere five minutes can help as well.
3. A Tidy Workspace
This, akin to a schedule, helps set the tone for your day. A clean and organised workspace is a manifestation of a decluttered mindset. It means that the remnants and stresses of the previous day have dissipated. The workspace is now accommodated to your new challenges of the day. By cleaning up your workspace from the day before, you help to transform your outlook, feel immediately better, and feel much more productive.
4. A TV Break Really Isn’t Bad
After a long day, and perhaps with a few procrastination breaks in between, you may not want to fall into the trap of watching too many episodes of your new favourite show. But stepping out of your sphere of work into a completely separate world of enjoyment can enforce better working patterns. After spending months at your home desk working, the lines can get very blurry; creating a separation may establish more clarity. You should enjoy your show and not feel guilty, it might actually help you in the long run!
These few tips, though small, are ways that we can all alleviate some of our stress and declutter our minds. They don’t have to be practiced together, but they can help a little in feeling a sense of both normalcy and happiness.