If you’ve been working from home during the national lockdown, you are, no doubt, beginning to get a little frustrated. With your home now being your office and your office being your home, it can be tough to take time off and really unwind over weekends. It’s so easy to feel haunted by your workspace as you try and chill on a Saturday morning. Here are some tips to make that mental break from work over weekends.
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Put your work away
So this tip may seem self-explanatory, but it’s one we often take for granted. When you finish with your work on a Friday afternoon, unplug your laptop and put it away. Similarly, if you have a designated study in your home, close the door. We’re attempting ‘out of sight, out of mind’ here.
It might seem silly, but if you’re moving around your home and catch sight of some unfinished work or your tablet is flashing at you nervously, you may be more inclined to jump in and get some work done. Or, you may try avoid the work but be a ball of nerves for the rest of the day, worrying about what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by.
Just put it away (as best as you can). You need to set boundaries with yourself and then adhere to them. Stick to your fixed working hours and don’t let work stress bleed into your weekends. You’ll be the thief of your own joy. Put your tech away and get living (within the confines of your home, of course).
Connect with friends
We’re under no illusion: working from home is hard work. It’s difficult to get a moment of peace between wrangling kids, answering emails, taking calls, and cleaning up around you as you go. So we know there isn’t much time to keep connected with people who aren’t your colleagues.
Well, that’s what weekends are for. Set brunch dates or organise a virtual braai. Get up, dress up, and (virtually) show up. By scheduling an activity that involves many people, you’ll be less inclined to bail on it. Lockdown is a universal call to slow down, so use weekends to catch up with people you haven’t had the time to chat with in a while.
Free apps like Zoom and Houseparty are easy to use and they’ll make you feel closer to your loved ones. They’ll also be a neat distraction from your work over weekends. Why not give it a try?
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Organise family activities
Now that you’re all stuck together, your family may have done its fair share of bonding already. But for the first time in ages, you can really spend some quality time with your loved ones. And in all honesty, you maybe haven’t had the best time working from home… So if you’re feeling a bit antsy about work, consider hosting a family games night.
You can plan the menu, mix cocktails, get everyone to dress up, set the table, and decorate your lounge appropriately. Get the kids involved and let them choose the games. You’ll be amazed at how much time this takes. So make a day out of it. Put your laptop away and go back to basics.
And if you’re self-isolating alone, host a Zoom games night. Games like 30 Seconds and Trivial Pursuit make for effortless digital play and almost everyone has them lying at the top of a cupboard somewhere.
Reconnect with your passions
Okay, so maybe this sounds a bit cheesy, and you’ve probably heard it a thousand times by now. But that’s for good reason. Did you used to sew or paint? Do you adore a fresh manicure? Haven’t finished that novel on your bedside table? And is your favourite actress in a series you’ve been dying to watch? Honestly, what’s stopping you? You’ve got nothing but time.
This can be so basic. No one expects you to rediscover an old passion and become a pro at it during lockdown. It can be as simple as pruning your hedges or rearranging your bookshelf. Life goes by so fast that these little things often blur right by us.
ALSO SEE: 21 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Time At Home
If you’re tired of TV, over being confined with loved ones, or just sick of things in general, escape to your happy place. While you can’t go get your hair cut or go to the cinema, one thing lockdown has taught us is that creativity is key. You’ll find a way to reconfigure your faves, but you’ll need to stop working long enough to give yourself a chance to.
Working from home is really demanding. You’ve undoubtedly been put through the wringer. So give yourself some time over weekends to just be you. Chat with friends, bury your work, do fun stuff with your family, and give your old hobbies another shot.
ALSO SEE: Five Good Things That Will Follow From Covid-19
By Features Writer Ashton Kirsten
