Working under Quarantine Tricks

Hi. I am Shiela a. k. a. Ms. Painhearted Ashlei.

I have been professionally growing in my field in Finance and Accounting for over a year now. I have worked as an Auditor at the biggest and richest company in the country for about six (6) months, have tried food industry for about four (4) months and was eventually offered by a relative a good paying salary in her own company and is still in that company for about six (6) months now as their Accounting Head.

I have decided to write an entry on this topic since today is May 1,2020 ( Labor Day ) and was officially the start of being under the General Community Quarantine(GCQ) as considered the "New Normal" after being under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) for over a Month.

It is very popular every now and then to receive news with regards to the pandemic that is shaking the world peace and health known as the "COVID19". For some this pandemic have brought chaos, hunger and fear. For some, depression for being isolated and being limited to socialization. But for our heroes in this times, the bravery, hope and prayers was all they have to continue serving the country amidst this "unseen" enemy.

On the other hand, many have lost their jobs for the safety is on top of priority. While most of frontliners are risking their lives of being exposed to the virus, Human Resource Officers, Accounting/Payroll Staffs and some other professionals are working behind walls and doors for our frontliners to continue receiving their hard earned money and get other benefits that they deserve.

I belong to the group of people that are lucky enough to continue earning income thru working indoors.

In times like this, procrastination and losing interest in doing your job because it becomes routinary is very inevitable.

So here are my tips on how to stay productive despite working at home or being stay in at work:

1. Wake up the same time you were up when everything's seem to be fine before this pandemic.

- This is a trick I am living in since I got to be in this "stay in at work situation." To think like you can stay in bed since your workplace is just downstairs or at the next door is very inviting. You have to change that mindset.

2. Replace your usual Morning routine with anything productive.

- I am a Morning person with a lot of morning rituals including jogging/stretching, reading and cleaning my room before I head into the bathroom to prepare for work. With this new set-up, since I can't run the road for a jog as early as 4am, I opt to have my coffee while reading a book for atleast an hour, and ride my bike just around the Subdivision. And then, I prepare for work.

3. Dress for Success.

- Being in PJs when you wake up late thinking your office is just around where you live is soooo inviting. So taking a bath at 7am, corporate dressing, and a little make up will do the trick to stay focus at work and to have a productive day.

4. Have breaks.

-Taking breaks from time to time and going back to the place where you had the best sleep is also inviting. To take a break at usual coffee breaks/snacks like 10:15am, lunch at 12nn, coffee break/merienda at 3pm will break this thinking. Be obedient with the time specially when boredom strikes.

5. Have a To - Do List

-  Procastination when you know you can work anytime of the day is also inviting. Having a To-Do List may help.