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So you got the green light from your company and you’re working from home for the next few weeks. You’ve got your snacks, your canned goods, a completely reasonable amount of toilet paper; your WiFi signal is strong enough to be your man, and you’ve moved all your laundry and coffee cups out of sight of your webcam to keep your coworkers from making fun of you on Skype calls. You’re ready for anything…except for the next eight hours. And the the eight hours after that. And…

Staying sane in the face of drastic change is harder than many of us realize – even the most introverted among us (hi) get by with a little help from our friends one way or another. With that in mind, Silicon Valley Forum staff has gathered here our favorite tips, tricks, and go-to methods for working at home:

Denyse says: Allow yourself time for a proper mental adjustment if you’re not used to working from home. Given the extraordinary situation with the work from home mandate, don’t expect yourself to be working at the same level as you would in your normal work environment in the first week or so. Your brain works different in high-stress situations. Find a routine that works for you, and then things will start to fall in place. Stay connected with your team. Zoom should be your new best friend.

Krystina says: remember to take plenty of breaks! You’re actually more productive if you’re well-rested—and sometimes you just need a moment for yourself.

Patrick says: Create a daily rhythm that mimics that (to a certain extent) of the one you had in the office; including when you normally used to start and end working. Heading outside for breaks is still possible; even in small groups and keeping distance.

Nick says: Stretch and get outside (safely!). I have to force myself to get up sometimes, but it is so helpful to move around. That, and caffeine 🙂

Amanda says: I start every morning with a walk around the block, put on my mascara and force myself to eat lunch outside to soak up some sunshine.

Micaela says: good tea and good tunes are essential to keep the day going. If music is too distracting, there are a ton of great white-noise apps out there that mimic everything from coffee shops to rainy days to shopping malls—whatever helps you concentrate!

Blog author:

Micaela Youmans
Director of Communications
Silicon Valley Forum