Time management in the time of COVID

Krisha Fae A. Nunag

THOSE who found themselves in a work from home arrangement thought it would be a walk in the park. They realized soon enough that working from home is not as good as it sounds.

Just like any other work arrangement, there must be a semblance of balance to WFH, too. You may feel like you have a lot of time on your hands, but this is the exact opposite. You end up feeling that you had not accomplished enough in one day.

It would help if you maintain a routine throughout the day. Start the day with making a cup of coffee, opening your laptop, and checking for pending work.

Make time for lunch, as sustenance is just as important. In the middle of the day, check and answer emails. At the end of the day, check for pending work which can be accomplished the next day, turn off your laptop, and walk away from your desk or room.

This may sound easy, but there are bound to be distractions. Fight off these distractions and focus on the task at hand. Remember, this is supposed to be work.

Distractions may come in the form of cellphone notifications and other devices around you. So make sure only your laptop is in front of you, and fight off the urge to look at every notification. Much better: Mute your notifs.

Being stuck at home does not mean we cannot see the outside world – at least in our own backyards. If you have a garden, make time after work to see the sights. Depending on the quarantine, you can take a jog or just take a walk.

If you have hobbies, find time for these after dinner. Listen to music, watch your favorite series on Netflix (just one episode can do), or read a book.

Let’s work with what we have and take advantage of the situation given to us. Some of these things, we did not have time for, pre-pandemic, so let’s all be appreciative and hope fervently that everything would be okay.

--oOo-

The author is Administrative Assistant II at DepEd Division of Pampanga