By Emma Martin
Being at home for the past six months has been interesting and quite an adjustment. Balancing work, personal life, and schoolwork has become harder than ever, thanks to the pandemic, because we have had to move our offices into our houses, meaning we can’t leave our work at the office since the office is now the living room. For me, it has taken some time to figure out how to balance my classes, an internship, and my personal life while stuck at home, away from campus and the office, but I have found ways to enjoy my time at home.
Take breaks:
I am sure you have heard it a million times before, but taking a break from work during the day can help you balance your work life and personal life. Consider setting aside time during the day to go on a walk, go for a drive, or call a family member or friend. After the break, you’ll feel much more refreshed and productive since you will have had a change of scenery and a chance to step a way for a minute.
Time Management/Routine:
Something that I have gotten really good at during quarantine is time management. Between summer classes and an internship, I have had to manage time differently than before. Unlike previous semesters, I did not have a set schedule for when classes met, but I was fortunate to have a set schedule for when I was interning, which helped me set aside other times when I needed to be working on my summer classes. I set my weekdays so that I worked on schoolwork and interned on Monday-Thursday which meant that I could have Friday and the weekends to relax. Having a routine has been helpful when trying to make time for myself.
Talk to friends and family:
I have always found it nice to talk to friends and family about what they are up to. In times like these, it can be hard to connect with others since we can’t physically be together, but a phone call or FaceTime call can take your mind off of work for a while. If you can’t talk on the phone, shoot them a text to let them know that you’re thinking of them!
Turn off your phone:
This is something that I need to get better at doing since I use my phone all the time. Before I go to bed, I turn it on Airplane mode so that I don’t get any notifications until my alarm goes off and I am ready to start my workday. Something I have learned while interning is to turn off notifications after you are done with the workday. Constant emails and notifications can be overwhelming when you are trying to have time for yourself. It’s easy for me to get wrapped up in what is happening after hours when I have notifications on.
