Four years ago on this date, I started working from home. The job for which I had moved across state lines was abruptly changed by upper management. The shocking situation left me in a dilemma of what to do next.
I was angry at those who had made the decision.
I was confused about how the situation had come to this point.
But mainly, I was scared about my future.
For the previous 20+ years, all I had known was going to an office building as a full-time employee. But suddenly, that wasn’t my option. Sound familiar?
When my job took this surprising turn (and I had a few days of crying my eyes out), I decided to look to the Lord and give it all to Him. A Bible passage I came across in Exodus 14:14 became the words I held to: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
With these new “work orders” planted firmly in my mind—to trust God to fight this battle for me—I became a work-from-home freelancer, which I’m still doing today.
So now, years later, I have these tips to share with those who may be wondering how to work remotely from the isolation of their homes. Trust me, it can be done!
A Temporary New Normal
Working from home may/may not be a short-term assignment for many individuals, but it is helpful to embrace it as your new normal for right now. Hopefully, you can develop a fresh set of daily routines to take hold of with ease over the coming weeks:
- Rise and shine. Set your alarm for a regular time of getting up each morning. Your body is used to this, so keep it up. Most likely, you can adjust your alarm to a bit later from what it had been since you don’t have to factor in commute time.
- Nutrition is key. Eat and drink something each morning to give your body energy and nutrients to boost your immunity and overall mental well-being. Your mom was right—breakfast really is a very important meal of the day. Focus on healthy foods over junk and processed items.
- Designate a workspace. If possible, use this space only for work. Once your work hours finish each day, try not to return to the space until your next workday.
- Define work hours and stick to them. Doing this will help with the “blurring” effect between work and home time—even though both are happening in the same walls of your house right now. You and your family members need downtime each day to just chill and do a non-work activity. When you’re off work, do something you enjoy: read that book you’ve been wanting to get to, watch a movie/TV show, work in your garden, grill some tasty food, take your dog for a walk.
- Get up and move. Just as you had break times at the office to use the restroom, grab a cup of coffee, chat with a coworker briefly—you still need to move about. There are no office coworkers in your house, but you can designate a few minutes each day to reach out by phone or text to a family member, friend, or coworker to see how they’re doing. Or grab a snack from the kitchen!
- Exercise either indoors or outside. I’ve kept a few lightweight dumbbells on the floor near my desk to use throughout the day. It never hurts to do a few arm curls or use them to strengthen your back muscles. Another easy/quick exercise if you have to be indoors due to rain is to do a few floor or wall pushups. For extended break times, definitely go outside for a 15-minute walk down the block and back when weather permits.
- To bed we must go. Just as important as it is to get up at a regular time, it helps to turn out the lights and go to sleep at the same time each night. We know how important sleep is to our overall health—physically and mentally. Right now, anxiety is at peak levels. Sleep helps restore our bodies and emotions during these challenging days.
Most importantly during this time of uncertainty, turn your trust to the Lord! He is an expert at bringing calm to the storms of life. He will see us through this one as well.