You can, and you must. 🙂
So, you’re an average, workaday kind of a person, with a job, a house, a commute…. You go to work, you talk to customers or colleagues or the general public all day, you come home and relax. All good.
What’s this? A pandemic, and a potential lockdown of your company, city, town, regional area…?
Whaddya do now???
Never fear, there are home business owners here to educate you all about this caper called Working From Home. We are voice actors, we are copywriters, graphic designers, website geniuses (genii?), knitters, crafters, ebay queens, authors, youtubers, influencers…. We work from home, we know how to stay home LIKE A BOSS, and we are here to help you adjust to the non-commuter life… even if only while Downtown is contagious.
First piece of advice: stay in bed for as long as you need to. YES. With a spouse or partner or friend is much more fun, but the non-fun way is very good for you too. You need rest and relaxation and this is the best time of day to make sure you’ve had enough before cracking on with the day. You can do this when you’re staying home!
When you do get out of bed, wash your hands and wipe down a surface or two with vinegar or spray n wipe or something.
Second… okay, this is slightly counter to the first, but bear with me here: Don’t try to work from bed. I know your mattress is just the best, and your bedroom is bright and makes you feel so good… but just… don’t. Drag yourself outta there – my partner Reece is very good at this; his technique involves fabulous cups of tea and delicious breakfast. Set yourself up in an equally bright (except if you’re a voice actor; sound booths tend towards the dim) and much more conducive-to-productivity space.
Make sure your desk is clean, and, uh, try not to touch your face while you work.
You should totally use fancy crockery, because you’re at home!
Third: Take tea breaks. Or coffee breaks. It’s a well-known fact that workers are more productive when they take more breaks rather than less. I’m pretty sure I didn’t make that up. I know I need breaks in between voiceovers or I’d lose my mind, never mind my voice. That piece of vegan cheesecake you’ve been saving in the freezer IS calling your name, and with good reason. You need to go eat it with your morning chai tea.
Just, please, wash your hands before unwrapping the cheesecake. And wash ‘em again before you eat it.
Mmmm, phone germs…
Number four: Try to remember that the rest of the world still exists. No man is an island! Even a quarantined man! Call your mum. Text your brother. Not all day though! Just… sometimes! So you don’t lose your mind, like us voice actors…
Before you call your mum, though, eewww, your phone! Grab some of your hoard of antibacterial wipes and clean that dirty little germ factory. And then wash your hands.
Five: Spending time outside is super important for your body and brain, and you commuting types might not realise how lucky you are to have outside time built into your daily routine. So, go outside! Stand in the sun for 5 minutes. Do yoga on the front lawn. Say hello to the magpies. Stare at the cat and envy their ability to go wherever they darn well want to. Just don’t stand outside with any other humans, because we wouldn’t want the authorities thinking there’s a public gathering going on.
Well, that’s one way to entertain yourself at home…
Clean the door handles on your way back inside – heck, clean the whole door. Before you wash your hands.
I hope these handy suggestions assist you in your newfound excess of home time.
Last piece of advice: try not to get totally and depressingly distracted by oodles of news articles and statistics and panic behavior.
Take it easy, look after yourselves and be kind to one another. 🙂