Brighter side of social Distancing

                                                             Dr. Priya Kalyanasundaram, Professor, SIMS

While there is an outburst of do’s and don’ts on how to manage and curtail the virus or how fast it’s spreading into countries and cities as we speak,  Here are some tips on social distancing  during the lockdown period

The world of work prosper on planning, however, this unpredictability has disrupted our routine work  corporate, big or small around the world are forced to shift to remote work in response to the spread of COVID -19. The impact from the health, safety, finance and economy perspective are unimaginable.

Anxiety and fear seem to be growing and casting a cloud of uncertainty around people. The continuous media cycle and deluge of WhatsApp messages surrounding the outbreak, has frightened us more. We have all been asked to practice social distancing and working from home (WFH).

Here are some of the tips on social distancing and work from home

• Dedicated Office Space

Not everyone has a separate room that can be converted into an office. So, it could be your study table or the dining table in the living room. Do not sit in your bedroom. If you have no choice, draw the curtains and let natural light filter in.

• Ground Rules

Ensure you have a login time and a log out time with your organization. When you are at your workstation, focus on work. Make it look office-like with peripherals and stationery.

Dress to Impress

 DON’T wear comfortable semi-formal clothes. Wear a formal dress wherein it will put you in work-mode.

Be Seen and Heard

Since most of the work require video calls and conference calls, make your presence felt by being present, physically and by speaking up, else you’ll be lost in the sea of Zoom videos and chaos of conference calls.

Eat well and Right.

When you are at home and busy with work, the temptation to skip or eat too much is a possibility. Plan your menu to provide you adequate nutrition, needed. Fortify yourself with regular water breaks.

MOVE.

 Keep moving every 30 minutes. Do five neck rolls, ten squats, ten high jumps and five body rotations to keep yourself  healthy.Many organizations are encouraging clients to stay fit at home and posting instructional videos online, too.

Call Friends and Colleagues.

While you may not be able to visit people in person, that does not mean that you cannot connect. The ideal way to overcome this period of isolation is to reach out to a friend, family or people you trust and share your concerns and feelings. Discuss lighter things like movies, music, books to keep yourself  positive.

Learn Something New.

Make time to focus on the things you wanted to learn but didn’t have the time for. Sign up for an online course – could it be a value added course, photoshop, a language, music or watch one TEDx or hear one podcast that adds value to you, personally or professionally.

Restrict Media Consumption.

At the moment, the media is on hyper-drive with news of gloom and despair. Go to news channels that are trustworthy. Restrict friends posts if they are constantly pushing messages that creates stress.

 Indulge in Self-care.

Avoid obsess about the coronavirus and include practices that promote health and positivity like yoga, meditation etc. Sleep is important during this time and practicing sleep hygiene ensures you get sufficient rest.

Power of Music.

Music has a therapeutic effect on your mood and emotions elevating joy and positivity and reducing any influence of pain and anxiety. As it can normalize your blood pressure, steadies the heart rate, and relieve your stress, so do not underestimate the power of music.

While none of us are clear when this pandemic will subside and how long we need to practice social distancing, it is not the time to allow fear to dictate your life. Let social-distancing not isolate you. Let working from home not break the social bond of teamwork. Let this time of crisis not fade out our happiness. Look for possibilities that take you ahead. For this too, shall pass.