Minimizing Stress In Four Easy Steps

By: Kaitlyn Ciancio

Hello, my name is Kaitlyn, and I am a marketing intern at Planful. I have been a part of Planful since January 2020, and I cannot wait to see what my future at Planful holds.

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Doing an internship along with a regular school semester from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been more than interesting. I am not going to lie – there have been challenges along the way.

Before the pandemic, I managed to get in a good groove with a healthy balance between the two. Working from home has shattered that, and since then, it has just been about rebuilding. Although it is hard, it’s important now more than ever to learn how to manage stress in our lives. Here are some tips I have gathered along the way on how to minimize and manage stress while working from home.

1. Define Your Workspace

One of the most important things for working at home is having a good workspace, a space reserved just for work. This should be a place you are able to concentrate and not get distracted. Don’t restrict yourself too much though; you should feel comfortable as well. My favorite place to work at home is at my kitchen table with the windows open. You also want this to be a clean space. Make sure to take time to keep your workspace organized and not crowded.

2. Create A Routine

Having an ideal schedule is also necessary for working from home success. Sticking to a schedule will add purpose and organization to your day. If you can, schedule your day around the time you feel most productive to do work. I personally am less productive in the morning, so I tend to work in the late afternoon.

It is also important to not expect yourself to be as productive as you were previously. Don’t feel bad if it takes you a couple of extra hours to finish a project or if you need to take a break away from work. Accounting for this change in productivity will help you control some of the stress you feel.

3. Enjoy Hobbies

Another thing that I found helpful during my time at home is doing productive hobbies that you enjoy. These will leave you with a feeling of accomplishment and motivation to push through the stress of your work. For me, I enjoy photography in my spare time. It gives me an excuse to go outside and really see the beauty around me, such as all the trees currently in bloom. If you feel like you don’t have any hobbies that work from home, this is a great time to discover and take on some new ones. I know learning a new skill makes me feel accomplished and minimizes my stress, but also moving around and getting some fresh air really helps as well.

4. Stay Connected

Although I currently cannot see a lot of my family and friends in person right now, they really help you put your stress into perspective. So, I find it important to stay in touch with your family as much as you can while working from home. I don’t just mean through social media either. Call them! It’s even better if you can FaceTime or schedule a Zoom meeting. Stay in touch with the ones you love.