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If you’re working from home, as the Clyde Group team currently is, you’ve probably heard some of the best practices for staying organized, productive, and sane while we wait out the COVID-19 storm.    Personally, it took me a few weeks to figure out what my needs are and what helps me focus.   At first, I wasn’t taking proper breaks, I just stared into space for ten minute stretches throughout the day. This was a problem for several reasons:   

1. I was pretty much immobile for the entire work day.
2. Those “breaks” didn’t feel restful or restorative (because they weren’t) so it felt like all I did was work. 
3. I wasn’t more productive when I did jolt back to reality. 

  After about a week, I realized this bad habit needed to end. Now I plan a few 25 minute breaks at the beginning of the day, block them off on my calendar, and get away from my computer. I always feel like I’ve given myself a treat and am ready to get back to work by the time they end.    Thinking about this switch-up in my routine got me wondering what my coworkers are doing to make working at home more manageable. I asked around and noticed a few themes.  

Dress for the job you want, not the job you have

Perhaps a job in a real office?   “I usually wear jeans and a collared shirt when I work to mentally separate work from home. Gym shorts and T-shirts are for after hours. I find once I wear pants, I can't be lazy.” - Keaton, Associate, Media Specialist  

Be gracious

With yourself and others.   “If my daughter is screaming from the other room on a call, I just laugh about it. It is what it is.” — Aubrey Quinn, Partner   “Be mindful of the reality that lots of people are working from home now and maybe not used to it. Be considerate of your neighbors when it comes to noise and other disruptions.” —Chris Lundquist, Senior Content Specialist  

Old habits die hard

Or at least, they should.   “We've been trying to keep up our habits that we established before the pandemic - working out at least 3 times a week, not ordering in until the weekend.” —Nicole Gutierrez, Manager   “I tried to keep my routine from before this whole thing started, so I still wake up early and read and exercise. I have a strict ‘no laptop in bed’ rule to separate work from home.” —Aubrey Quinn, Partner  

Get in the zone

Give yourself the room and routine so you can “get’cha get’cha get’cha get’cha head in the game” (a quote from another wise colleague, Troy Bolton).   “I wake up the same time every morning, and read all of the morning's news in bed on my phone so I'm still cozy but waking up and being productive. Then I'll stretch out on the couch, plug in my headphones, close my eyes and listen to a 15-minute podcast.” —Laura Beth Ellis, Director  

Divide and Conquer

Your spaces, that is.   “Pick a comfortable, quiet place to work from and don't work from anywhere but there. Don't do anything else from there but work.” - Natalie Chambers, Director   Advice about productivity and working from home is entirely subjective. What works for others may not work for you. You don’t have to take every piece of advice you are given. For example, despite being told it’s “a bad idea,” I work from my bed, as it’s the only private place in my house. For you, changing up routines and habits could be more helpful than clinging onto old ones. Figure out what matters to you and hold yourself accountable to it, but be generous with yourself when you find what’s not possible.