A few blog posts ago, I wrote about the current statistics and research into the coronavirus pandemic. Lancaster Univeristy closed down it’s academic buildings in mid March and as students, we were advised to work from home. All of this was done for a good reason: to stop the spread of this deadly virus.
It took me a while to get into a routine while working from home and I really struggled for the first few weeks in terms of productivity. There would be some days where I would sit with a paper open on my laptop and not be able to read a single sentence. I was having difficulty focusing when there was so much uncertainty surrounding our current predicament.
I ultimately made the decision to return to my family home in my hometown, Newport Pagnell. This was a game changer for me. Being surrounded by our loved ones is what we need right now. Since returning home I’ve really gotten into a routine. If your reading this and struggling with working from home, my top tip would be to stick to a working day. I usually work from 9 to 5 with a one hour lunch break and several small breaks throughout the day to keep my brain going.
I’m quite lucky to live in a town surrounded by open fields where I can take long walks and not come into contact with a single person. I also have two Tibetan Terriar dogs who are loving us all being home and are getting a lovely walk each day. I definetly think it’s important to take advantage of your daily exercise allowance.
I also think it’s very important to not be too hard on yourself if you are not working at 100% capacity. I read a really nice quote recently on twitter that I strongly agree with:
You are not working from home; you are at your home during a crisis trying to work.
No one expects you to be as productive as you were in the office and it’s alright if you have a day when you can’t focus. I tend to a have one really productive day followed by a day where I only work for an hour or two and yo-yo back and forth between the two.
As a programme STOR-i have been encouring us to have regular contact with our cohort. Twice a week, on Microsoft Teams the MRes have a conference call where we just catch up with one another. It is a very strange situation not working in an office together and I’m missing the social aspect of STOR-i a lot. These video calls are a great way to stay in touch.
STOR-i have been adapting to the online setting. As of last week we’ve resumed our weekly forums in which PhD students give a short presentation on their current research. These are obviously now online and not followed by the customary tea and buiscuits but it’s nice to return to some sort of schedule and normality.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been in contact with several potential PhD supervisors and am due to submit my preferences on Monday, so it is a rather exciting yet nerve-wracking time for me. I’m also working on computer assignments, these blog posts and a poster presentation. So lots to keep me busy!
I hope everyone is staying safe and at home. If you are struggling with working from home, please be kind to yourself and this will all be over soon enough.