3 Things About Working From Home I Still Want To Do Even When Things Are Back In Place

For many people, including me, this coming March will mark 1 year since we have been working from home due to the pandemic. I am very fortunate my line of work allows me to work remotely. With COVID-19 vaccines being distributed, soon we will be able to come back into the office.

These are 3 things I have learned from working-from-home that I hope I can still continue to do even when things are back in place:

1. 10-minute Break to Walk or Just “Breath”

One vital thing about working from home is I can eliminate the stress of commuting. Instead, I hunker down at my house and can use that commute time for a break here and there. I’d like to use my 10-minute break to walk around the block or simply breathe — sometimes doing guided meditation through YouTube videos!

I never did any of these before the pandemic, mainly because this is something we can only do when we are not surrounded by people. The outcome turned out to be phenomenal. With only a 10-minute “quality” break, I can regain my focus and produce more work.

2. More Attention to Calories Intake

I am not going to lie, commuting takes so much out of me. Pre-pandemic, oftentimes I felt exhausted when I got home and did not have any more energy to cook for dinner. To get around that, I used to cook a big batch of meals on the weekends for the coming weekdays.

While I am not against that idea, pandemic has taught me another thing. I have been able to put more thought into my calories intake as I still have energy to cook even after work (you know, the commute is about 10 feet from my office to the kitchen :p).

The outcome is I have been feeling more energized and healthy compared to pre-pandemic. After all, who does not produce more when they are in good mental state?

3. Maintain Routine

Another thing that helps me to manage my anxiety during the pandemic is to maintain my routine. This includes maintaining my morning routine as though I still commute to work. I wake up, shower, and put on decent clothes.

PS: I bought some statement shirts and coffee mug to help motivate me!

Takeaway: Some lines of work, like mine for example, require its employees to meet with people. That said, coming back into the office is something certain. However, after all, productivity is the goal for work. Where possible, I think employees should be able to still work from home even after the pandemic is over.

We might never go back to normal, instead, inventing a new normal. A better normal.