One year ago, a near overnight transition to remote work transformed kitchen counters and coffee tables into a hybrid of a classroom and corner office. If you Googled “working from home” last March, you’d find a mosaic of cheerful professionals sitting beside calm children diligently focused on their schoolwork. Some reached inbox zero donning fluffy pajamas with their feet up on their desk, casually sipping coffee or cozying up with a pet. However, one year later, the true picture of remote work has proven anything but easy. The new digital daily grind strains not only WiFi capacity, but can drain us mentally and emotionally as well. While many of us hopefully looked toward the light at the end of the tunnel—a return to normalcy—companies of all sizes are committing to a longer-term WFH business model. For many still cooped up at home, the novelty has started to wear off. We now miss the low hum of our office din, the lobby muffin cart, and zippy exchanges with cubicle mates. So what do we do now that ‘working from home’ has fully transitioned to ‘living at work’?
Don’t forget to eat lunch
Even when you’re populating the same square footage as the fridge, it’s easier than ever to forget to eat lunch. Time almost moves at a different pace. After all, you’re without your normal cues. Your house doesn’t buzz with the escalating crescendo of chattering voices as lunchtime nears nor the fragrant waft of Todd from Accounting’s warming leftovers. So establish a new lunchtime ritual. Set an alarm to eat lunch at a time that works best for you. Most importantly, vow to do something not work-related while you eat. Read a book for pleasure, pin some new recipes to try out later in the day. For the hardcore, five days in a row of missed lunches sounds badge-worthy—but missing out on the day’s nutrition ultimately degrades your productivity.
