Keeping Everyday Routines During a Pandemic

We are almost into the fifth month of the pandemic, and a lot of our old daily routines have completely fallen by the wayside. We're working hard to get back into our routines and make life feel as normal as possible.

If you're struggling to adjust to the current situation and your current "normal", you're not alone! While we're adjusting to the idea that this current situation may last longer than we originally anticipated, we're trying to bring some of our routines and habits back in.

Bring Back Your Morning Routine

Back in the days when we used to go into the office, our normal routine was to wake up, shower/get dressed and ready for work, have breakfast, and maybe even read or watch the news if we didn't sleep in ;)

Nowadays, the routine has been a bit more relaxed. We've been eating breakfast while we work, staying in our pajamas until noon (if we get dressed at all), and sometimes working on the couch. After nearly five months of this, it's starting to feel a little less productive and luxurious than it did in the beginning.

The morning routine is the first step of your day, and if we can get this one in check, the rest will come easy! We're vowing to get up and get ready as if we were going into the office, and sit down at our designated work area when the workday starts.

Take a Real Lunch Break

In the office, it wasn't common to work through lunch. Sometimes there are instances where you have to sneak in a few bites in between meetings, but it definitely wasn't the daily norm. These days, and we're not exactly sure why, we find ourselves eating lunch while responding to emails, or not eating lunch at all.

Taking a true 30-minute break to have some lunch and decompress will make all the difference in your day. It'll help you refocus for your afternoon and stay productive, while also helping to curb any feelings of burnout through the day or week.

Have A Hard-Stop at the End of the Day

At the end of your workday, log off of your computer, and don't check your email on your phone after hours. Having our homes double as our offices makes the lines between work and personal life feel a bit blurred, so it's important to make an effort to separate the two.

Taking the time to cook a nice, healthy dinner, or taking a long walk around the neighborhood helps us to wind down and transition into home life for the evening. Whether you like to cook, exercise, or get on the floor to play with your kids, make sure you're taking the time to step away from work until the next morning. This goes for the weekends, too!