Bad news keeps on coming, doesn’t it? What was supposed to be a midpoint reprieve quickly turned into Spring Break: Doomsday Edition for all of us. Social distancing. Hourly social media check-ins. Stocking pantries with money we don’t have. The list goes on.
So much change in one week’s time. It feels like days have been stretched into weeks and weeks stretched to months. Who’s to say what our campus will look like come this Friday? No doubt we’re all anxious for this quarantine to be over.
But life keeps going. No one is alone. We will all get through this one step at a time.
I’m in a fortunate situation where my academic world hasn’t entirely been rocked. As a graduate student in my last semester (!!), my capstone class only meets once per month, my independent thesis once per week. My classes have practically been remote since the start, but that doesn’t mean I’m any less stressed. The momentum to keep going has slowed to a halt, as I’m sure it has for you, too.
Working remote is a different beast, one intent on distraction. Just when you thought you’ve knocked it down, it stands right back up. And I’m guilty of not always being the most responsible when working remote, but I’m getting better!
I’ve found that the hardest part to working at home is tricking my brain into differentiating work time and leisure time. Remote work requires different skills and discipline for sure, but with practice and consistency, every student can get through the next few weeks successfully. These are just a handful of things I’ve found that work for me:
- Get out of your PJs.
- Set weekly deadlines.
- Create daily task lists.
- Review your accomplishments before bed. Plan for the next day.
- But don’t overload your daily schedule; adhere to a cutoff point.
- Repeat to yourself: what can I conceivably accomplish today? And then execute.
- Remind yourself of the schedule you adhered to in the classroom and apply it to your new workspace.
Of course, taking advice is much easier than acting. This is your time to find the process that works best for you. With discipline and determination, I know you can do it.
To contradict myself, however, it’s equally important to learn when to put away the work. No doubt stress and anxiety are at an all-time high. If you’re anything like me, you might be caught in an endless loop of scrolling through social media feeds. While it is important and responsible to stay connected, remember the hobbies that fulfill you and lean into them. Turn on Netflix; I hear their “Party” feature allows movie nights while social distancing. Blast some music. Lose yourself in a book. As for me, I’ve been leaning heavily into gaming. I’m staying connected with my friends online, despite the lonely isolation.
When you’re stuck at home with looming responsibilities, the it’s natural to look toward your distractions. Through our second week of Spring Break I’m doing the best I can to strike that necessary balance between work and leisure. With consistency, I’m confident I’ll make it through the other side, and I know you will, too.
