After all, since I'm in the late stages of my degree, I usually split my day up into lab work hours and writing hours. Usually, I would go into lab from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., head home for lunch, and then either stay home or visit a local coffee shop to get some writing (and other out-of-lab tasks) finished. I figured, how different can a government-mandated work-from-home order be than what I was doing already?
It turns out working from home can be a major transition for those of used to working in an environment like a laboratory, where we can accomplish tasks that can't be done at home. As STEM students, losing access to our lab can take away a major part of our sense of purpose and well as the type of productivity to which we are accustomed.
It's taken me about a month to find out what does and doesn't work for me when working from home, as well as discovering what I would consider a productive day. I originally posted a guide like this to r/GradSchool on Reddit and it got hundreds of upvotes, so I wanted to improve and re-share in case it might help you, too!
Tip #1: Prepare yourself for the day
I've found I have a much more productive day if I start my day as if I'm actually going onto campus and into lab. For me, that means setting an alarm, taking care of morning hygiene, and getting dressed as soon as I wake up. The only real difference is that I don't do my makeup or hair while working from home; it's a time sucker AND it's a nice break for my skin and scalp!
Tip #2: Make a to-do list
I find that this is best done either the night before, the first thing in the morning when you sit down to start work for the day. Bullet journals and similar planners are perfect for this kind of thing, and, depending on how creative you want to get, can be a great quarantine hobby! I personally use a semi-structured bullet journal I found for $10 on Amazon. I purchased it specifically because it has checkboxes every day to write tasks and note when you've completed them. Since I'm not running active experiments that usually dictate my day-to-day schedule depending on if they worked or not, sometimes I like to plan out my entire week in advance, if possible. Either way is fine; whatever keeps you on task and feeling organized!
Tip #3: Set a (reasonable) daily schedule
If you set a reasonable schedule for yourself, it will be a lot harder to wander around your house not knowing where to start. My favorite way to do this is to designate specific times of the day for specific tasks. Here are some different work activities that might take up small (1-2 hours) time slots during my daily schedule:
- Writing/editing manuscripts or thesis
- Reviewing or sorting cited literature
- Raw data analysis
- Data organization
- Textbook/Internet review of concepts specific to my field
You likely can't finish all of these things in one day. If you plan for different tasks on different days, it will make your days seem a lot less monotonous. The varied tasks I take care of on a daily basis in lab is what keeps me stimulated normally at work, so I find varying my days gives me a similar sense of mental stimulation.
Tip #4: Use tools to keep yourself on task
On days where I am writing before a deadline, I time my work using the Pomodoro Technique. The technique sets work time for 25 minutes at a time with short 5-minute breaks in between sessions. Eventually, after several work sessions, there is a long 25-minute break. I used the Focus Keeper app available in the App Store. There are many others like it. I find this method to work well on days where it's necessary for me to focus extensively on one task for a long time.
Tip #5: Find or make a WFH playlist
I absolutely love listening to music while I work. I use Spotify to build my playlists (you can follow me and any of my playlists here) but Apple Music or another app will work just fine, too. Pick music that keeps you on task and motivated. For me, work music means anything without lyrics. Here are my own Spotify playlists I've created specifically for work done outside of lab:
- #WFH - My work from home playlist. It's a compilation of several lyric-less original soundtracks I enjoy.
- Mozart - Just Mozart and nothing else!
- Low-Key Jamz for Doing Science - This is mostly lo-fi and other moody, usually electronic, instrumentals.
- Vidya Gaems - Selected original soundtracks from some of my favorite video games, plus covers! This is by far my most-followed playlist on Spotify.
Tip #6: Build your workspace
Where you work is just as important as how you work. I would not recommend working in bed! I'll be the first to say I spend a lot of time in my bed. It's huge and offers a comfortable place to sit while I read, etc. I write my blog posts in bed, play on my Switch in my bed, and read in bed. However, once I start anything work-related, I force myself to sit either at my desk or at my kitchen table. You don't need a designated office to make a work space; I'm a grad student, after all, so my "office" is the desk two feet away from my bed since I live in an apartment with limited rooms and space that I am sharing with two other people. Speaking of other people, if you have roommates or share your living space, I would highly recommend investing in a pair of noise canceling headphones if you have the means to do so. I splurged on these Bose over-ear headphones (in rose gold) and I've never been happier with a purchase. With these, I don't have to worry so much about the distractions of owning a dog and living with others. I also really like lighting a candle in my workspace. Find a space and environment that works for you and go with it!
Tip #7: Stay in touch with your advisor and lab group
This is arguably the most important tip and goes without saying. It can be easy to lose contact with people during quarantine, but be proactive about contacting your advisor and group members if you need help, a second opinion, etc. My advisor is extremely busy with teaching online classes, so he generally doesn't contact me except for our biweekly online meeting. It's important to reach out and ask for help when you need it so you don't get hung up on something in your daily work. Applications like Slack, Webex, Zoom, Skype, Google Docs, and even FaceTime are great for coworking remotely.
There you have it; these are my top tips for working from home over the past month and a half! Do you have any additional tips that have worked well for you? Let me know in the comments!
- Anna
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