In early March, we shared an article with some tips on how to work from home. It’s been a while, so we wanted to provide some updated tips and ideas to stay motivated and productive during this challenging time.

1. Do something for yourself before you dive into your work day.

Whether it’s meditating, walking your dog, writing in your journal, or something else, we highly recommend that you dedicate the first part of your day, before you open your work computer, to something for yourself. That way, despite the craziness of your day, you can rest easier knowing you’ve done something that makes you feel good! 

2. Take more breaks than you normally would.

Working from home can be distracting, especially when your household is home with you. Remember that it’s okay to take breaks. Do what you need to do to reset, and if that looks different than it used to in the office, that’s ok too.

In many ways, the current stay at home order can be tougher on your kids out of school, or others in your household who may not be working at all right now. If you need to plan breaks during the workday to spend time with your family, talk to your manager and your team about adjusting your work hours to accommodate your situation.

Some parents on our team at Doximity have found that allowing their kids to be in the same room as them while working is enough to keep them happy (and quiet). One parent on our team has a completely different strategy: every morning she gets dressed and says goodbye to her kids, then leaves through the front door — only to sneak in the back door to her office!

Whatever way you create your boundaries, make sure everyone knows when you are “available” and when you aren’t.

4. Go easy on yourself.

The truth is that working from home can be challenging, especially when each member of your household is likely also around the house all day. As we’ve all heard now, these are unprecedented times and we’re in it together. At the end of the day, if your kid interrupts your Zoom meeting with your boss, or you didn’t get every single project checked off your list that day, it’s okay, and more than likely, everyone you work with will understand too.

We’re all concerned about current events and want to stay informed, but with so much new information being released (and much of it grim), it’s also important to monitor your news intake. This might mean spending a few minutes each morning to catch up on the headlines, and then taking a break until your work day is over, or it could be that you watch the news after the work day is over.

The point is to be mindful of the time you spend absorbing today’s current events as it takes time away from your other responsibilities and might even leave you feeling distracted and less focused when you get back to them.

6. Change things up.

Maybe that means work in a different spot in your house (even though we recommended you find a dedicated workspace in our last article)! Or maybe this means changing up your daily cup of joe, or your workout/background music playlist. Every day might seem like it’s the same, but we’re trying to find joy in the smaller things, and encourage you to try the same!

7. Find creative ways to socialize with co-workers.

We’ve hired a local yoga instructor to teach our team yoga over Zoom every Monday and have encouraged smaller teams to have lunch time chats or afternoon happy hours on Fridays. Have a co-worker you want to catch up with? Try setting aside time on your calendar for a “walk” or coffee catch-up together over Zoom.

We hope these tips help you to get through this strange time. If you're looking for more insights on COVID-19, Doximity recently hosted a webinar on How Physicians are Using Social Media in  and we invite you to watch the recording!