To weekend, or not to weekend

I don’t know about you, but the weekends have been the time that I have most felt the quarantine blues. It’s when I notice the things I’m missing out on the most. As a yoga teacher, I teach the majority of my classes on a Saturday and spend Sunday wither with friends or in the countryside walking my chocolate Labrador. Because of this, each weekend in isolation has so far hit me with a wave of sadness.

Therefore, I’m no longer treating the weekends as weekends. I don’t work as much as weekdays, but I do things to keep myself busy. I write, I read, I distract myself as much as possible.

On the other hand, for many keeping track of the weeks and making the most of weekday productivity will be boosted by the routine of keeping weekends fun. Something we have started as a family is that Saturday night is quiz night. The various households join Zoom and we take a turn each week writing the questions at 7.00pm, every Saturday. We even have family living in America who join us for the quiz. This has become a great way to have a sense of fun in the weekend and also keep track of the passing weeks. It also gives the quiz master something to do during the week! 

Figure out a weekend routine that works for you and use it to keep track and to keep well.

Working from home

Those of us who are lucky enough to be working from home may find it difficult to adjust to at first. As a long time study-from-home and work-from-home-er, here are my top tips on being productive when WFH.

Move before you work.
Whether it’s yoga, HIIT, walking or skipping, movement is key for getting the energy in your body moving, waking up your mind and giving you space before you work. I like to think of my pre-work exercise as my isolation alternative to a commute. Exercise has been proven to increase productivity and just twenty minutes is enough.

Avoid distractions.
Sounds impossible, I know, but try to have a workspace somewhere other than where you sleep or relax on an evening. This will keep a sense of routine to your days and also allow you to focus on your work. Tell those you live with you’re working and ask them not to disturb you. Use Apps and websites such as Cold Turkey to block social media and games from distracting you as you work or study.

Eat well
Keep your mealtimes regular and avoid grazing on sugary snacks throughout the day. Food shopping is difficult at the moment, so try to plan ahead to have healthy snacks and meals on hand. Eat at your usual lunch time, have a mid-afternoon snack and stop working with enough time to prepare dinner – and don’t go back to work after that time!

To-do lists
It might sound old-fashioned, but a to-do list is a sure-fire way to get more things done. Every morning, before you begin working, assess what needs to be done that day. Break it down by priority and do the highest priority things first, not the most fun things. I really like Trello to keep track of projects and deadlines and it avoids wasting reams of paper on a new to-do list each day. I also think a weekly and monthly to-do list can keep you on track and help to see just how much you’ve achieved.

Be realistic
By now, we should all be pretty aware of just how much we can achieve under the current circumstances. Adjust your to-do lists accordingly and also keep in mind that every day will be different. Your mood will vary, your energy levels and the way you feel physically. Take each day as it comes and be kind to yourself. We’re all in unchartered territory right now.

Check Becky Stanton’s article on how rituals can transform your day.