COVID-19 has shut universities and research institutions across the globe. But this is nothing new for infectious diseases.
Above is a picture of Sir Isaac Newton’s childhood home at Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, England – (well worth a visit if you ever get the chance)!
In 1665 an outbreak of bubonic plague in south east England (The Great Plague of London) caused Cambridge University to close. And Newton was forced to return to his Lincolnshire home.
The story goes that whilst at Woolsthorpe Manor, Newton witnessed the apple fall from an apple tree in the garden, and his law of universal gravitation was born.
He also worked on calculus and optics at the same time, rendering this as perhaps one of the most influential periods of home working ever undertaken by a scientist.
Currently scientists across the globe find themselves in a similar situation to Newton’s; forced to work from home (WFH) whilst their institutions are shut due to a lethal infectious disease.
As I highlighted last week the world needs your expertise, so it’s important to use this time WFH effectively so you can further yourself and your career.
In a series of posts over the next few weeks, I want share some advice to help you maximise the WFH experience.
I’m going to share with you some proactive steps you can take to use this time well and progress your career:
o Part 1 Looking after yourself: First and foremost, your health and wellbeing is number one. This stands as a top priority for all times, not just in global pandemics of course! But these are challenging times, so looking after yourself at this moment is pertinent. This is the theme of this week’s post
o Part 2 Caring for others: Many of us are now in the position where we not only need to WFH, but also care for other family members at the same time, including some of us having to home school children. I’m in this position myself and next week, will offer some tips on how I’m currently managing this situation
o Part 3 Managing your academic work: With lab work on hold, what can you do to keep your research alive and push your project forward? Remote teaching is also something academics are having to juggle. I’ll discuss practical steps you can take to move forward with your academic work at this time
o Part 4 Managing your career: If you’re reading this blog it’s probably because you’re considering your career development and want to prioritise your future success. As recruitment has now moved into the virtual space, what approaches can you take to plan your career and execute that plan during this time? I’ll deep dive into this the coming weeks
Part 1: Looking After Yourself Whilst WFH
These are uncertain times and with uncertainty comes a fear of the unknown, and heightened feelings of anxiety.
Economic and health worries are burdens most of us carry at this time.
Remember you are not alone in this. People all over the world are in the same boat and are juggling similar issues at this highly disruptive time.
As a result, this is an emotionally draining situation for everyone. So be kind to yourself and others.
The most important thing of all, is that you look after the health of yourself and those around you.
We currently find ourselves thrust into the unfamiliar with the need to find a new ‘norm.’ Presented with so many unknowns at once creates a considerable amount of uncertainty. Couple this with the social isolation we MUST comply with to block transmission of the virus, it’s certainly a challenging time.
However, there are steps you can take to look after yourself and protect your emotional wellbeing during this time.
Here I’ll share a few things that can help:
Remove the Pressure
Go easy on yourself by taking stock of the reality of the situation.
Most of us are in the same boat having to WFH, but each will have our own individual challenges to navigate; health issues, family care and financial situations (to name a few).
Unless all your research is theoretical or in silico, you’re not going to be as productive as you were in the lab, but that doesn’t mean you can’t continue important aspects of your work (more on this soon in part 3 of this series…).
Take a bit of time to determine what can and can’t be achieved during this period, given your own unique circumstances. Get specific on the things that are achievable during this period and make these your focus.
Life throws up barriers to achieving your goals, and new routines (which we’re all working on at the minute) are notoriously good for generating barriers!
So take the pressure off where needed. Some days will be more challenging WFH than others and that’s OKAY.
Here’s a helpful mantra for your workspace, for those tricky days:
Stay Informed but Not Obsessed
These are unprecedented times and the world around us is changing at a staggering rate. News updates are continuous, given this high volume of change.
It’s important to understand what’s happening, by checking this a couple of times a day. Perhaps once at the beginning and again at the end of your working day.
But you should limit the constant stream of social media and news alerts on your phone. Reading these throughout the day may leave you feeling continuously worried and not to mention, distracted.
Limiting this external information to designated times in your routine, will allow you to leave headspace for your own personal affairs and focus on what’s important.
Establish an Effective Workday
On a practical level, there are certainly a few things you can introduce into your WFH day that can help your work days flow more smoothly.
I learnt a number of these tips whilst working remotely as a medical writer. They help keep you motivated and distractions at bay:
- Start your day as if you were going into work: Get up, showered, dressed and be by your desk at a set time every day. Your daily commute may only be a few steps, but this consistent approach gets you in the right mindset for work
- Allot a designated workspace: Ideally this should be away from other family members, but if this is not possible at least allocate a separate desk area in a shared space, that’s designated for work only.
It’s important to separate your downtime space from your workspace. In my experience, working on the sofa results in a lack of focus and also an inability to wind down properly at the end of the day, when you’re constantly surrounded by work.
- Take regular breaks: It’s tempting to blur breaks and work time together, and I was often guilty of doing this at the lab or office, but got a lot better when I started WFH more regularly.
Blurring this boundary is not healthy and sustainable long-term. And when WFH, it’s easy to get burnt out at the same workstation day after day with little social interaction from others. So take regular breaks AWAY from the computer
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Incorporate daily exercise into your daily routine and keep the snacks in the cupboard away from your workstation. It’s all too easy when WFH to graze throughout the day!
Keeping a check on your physical health by staying fit, will not only help you mentally, but will also help you fight off any infections, including COVID-19.
Keep the Conversation Flowing
Staying in touch with friends and family has never been easier in this day and age. We should thank our blessings that this pandemic didn’t happen 15 years ago, where we’d have had to self-isolate without the online infrastructure we now enjoy!
It’s important in these times of social distancing and isolation to keep communication channels open and use them regularly. WhatsApp and other instant messaging tools are incredibly important for me to keep in touch with colleagues when working remotely.
If you haven’t already got an online chat group for your lab, I’d strongly recommend you set one up. This will allow you to keep in regular contact with your lab colleagues, support each other academically and build on your relationships.
Many academic researchers work far away from home, so it’s important to keep checking everyone’s okay. For those living abroad, lab colleagues might be the closest thing researchers have to family in that country. So look out for each other!
Just taking time to ‘shoot the breeze’ with one another can make all the difference to getting through the day more easily, and managing the personal separation well. And there’s no reason you can’t still take those daily coffee breaks together!
The BB forum also provides an online community of researchers with similar interests in progressing their careers. Tap into this resource for additional support by signing up here.
In Summary
- Prioritise your personal wellbeing at this challenging time
- WFH has its difficulties. It’s okay if some days you don’t get as much done as you’d hoped
- Stay up-to-date with the news, but limit social media and news feeds throughout the working day
- Set yourself up for a productive work day by employing WFH best practice:
- Get ready for work as normal and set a start time
- Use a designated workspace area at home
- Take breaks away from your workspace
- Exercise and eat well
- Regularly converse with your lab group and others online
‘Til next time, stay home, stay safe, stay connected and speak soon!
Vicky (BB founder)