Since the pandemic started over a year ago, one of the things that have become a daily struggle for me is focusing on my work. Combining my personal and workspaces has never been a good idea for me; when I’m so close to so many more engaging and distracting things, it can be easy to lose sight of what is work and what is not. As college students, we’ve also had to adapt to moving out of our own homes into a singular room (which allows even less separation between work and personal life). Although we are (hopefully) nearing a new (and better?) era in the pandemic world, it appears that work-from-home is something that could be here to stay for a while. Companies have found certain ease of flexibility with Zoom and workers providing their own office space, commuters are dedicating extra (former commute time) to work, and schools like the option of having a remote class every so often. This being said, all of us have found new ways to make work-from-home the most productive experience, but I thought I’d share a few tricks that I’ve found that help me when I’m working.
1.) Wearing real clothes
Sitting in your bedroom, it’s so easy to lounge around in sweatpants and a hoodie all the time (especially on a day of all Zoom classes). However, when trying to get work done, it can be really refreshing to put on jeans and a nice top to help yourself recenter and motivate yourself for the day.
2.) Finding a new space
Breaking up the monotony is something that is very important to me as a learner. I need to work in a variety of environments, and WashU has no shortage of places to work. The social pressure of being surrounded by others can be hugely motivating when trying to get more done.
3.) Taking a time-lapse
OK, I’ll admit that this one sounds weird, but I stole it from a friend and, oddly, it works really well. When taking a time lapse on an iPhone, you don’t get any notifications and cannot leave the app without ending the lapse. For that reason, your phone is not usable and you want to look “studious” on camera, so focusing becomes a little bit easier.