Remote Work Revolution

In today’s online world, more and more people are turning to remote work. While some people dream of making the switch to work from home, others can’t imagine a life without in-person coworkers — or at least they couldn’t, until now. Today, people in Ukraine and across the world are required to work from home to help control the spread of COVID-19. Whether you’re just starting to work from home, it has been a few weeks, or you permanently work from home, here are some ways to make the most of it.

Set a Routine

Establishing a routine doesn’t mean you need to have a strict 9-5 work schedule — it just means you should wake up around the same time every morning, follow somewhat of a routine, and go to bed around the same time every night. What those times are is up to you, but by making it consistent each day, your body will know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to rest. With consistency, your body will sync up to your schedule, and you won’t even need an alarm clock.

No matter your home situation — if you live alone, have roommates, have children — you’ll run into some challenges in setting a routine, and that’s fine! Be kind to yourself (and your new “coworkers”), and make adjustments as needed. Some do best working the entire shift in one shot, while others do best working in two- to three-hour blocks, with breaks in between. Also, schedule a lunch break when you can eat, nap, catch a quick episode of your favourite TV show, watch a webinar, wash the dishes, or whatever else — just make sure to disconnect from work for a bit.

And don’t forget to schedule your commute. Though it shouldn’t take you more than a few seconds to get from your bed to your home office, set aside the same amount of time that it would usually take you to get to work. Exercise, listen to a podcast (try the Ukrainian Lessons Podcast), practise yoga, read, or meditate — use your “commute” to do all those things you said you never had time for in the past.

Set Up Your Home Office

Make a space in your home your designated work area. Try to have everything you need within arm’s reach so you don’t have to keep getting up and distracting yourself from your work. If that means you need to pack some snacks to discourage you from standing in front of an open fridge, humming and hawing over what to eat next, so be it. Place a houseplant on your desk (Flora Contora offers delivery) and work near natural light if possible. If you work on a laptop, hook up a wireless keyboard and mouse, then place your device on a small box or a pile of books on your desk to reduce neck strain.

Set News and Social Media Limits

Staying up to date with the news during times like these is important so that you’re in the know of the latest COVID-19 updates, but too much news can be overwhelming, taking away from your day-to-day life, including efficiency at work. Try checking news websites and social media only a couple of times a day — which is easier said than done. To help you out, What’s On summarises and posts links to the top news stories of the day on Facebook and Telegram every morning at 8:00. Check the news maybe one more time at lunch or after work, and you’ll stay informed without the overwhelm.

Treat Yourself

Many restaurants in Kyiv are open for delivery, so you can support local businesses while giving into your mid-day cravings. Try a cold brew coffee and a brownie from Takava Coffee-Buffet and Veterano Brownie. To feel like you’re in somewhat of an office atmosphere, order for and set up delivery to a couple of your colleagues.

Working from home is an adjustment that came about quickly and one that the whole world is navigating. So, even if you’re reading this now when you should be working, if pyjamas have become your new work uniform, and if you’re counting your fifth coffee of the day as your lunch, it’s OK. We’re in this together.

Ukrainian Lessons Podcast
ukrainianlessons.com

Flora Contora
$$
+380 50 964 5200
facebook.com/floracontora

Takava Coffee-Buffet
$
+380 93 138 6315
facebook.com/takakava

Veterano Brownie
$
+380 68 000 7195
veterano-brownie.com.ua