{"id":231,"date":"2020-03-30T13:43:45","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T13:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/?p=231"},"modified":"2021-02-04T15:56:31","modified_gmt":"2021-02-04T15:56:31","slug":"at-home-with-the-wdc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/2020\/03\/30\/at-home-with-the-wdc\/","title":{"rendered":"At Home with… The WDC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The first in a new series in which members of the Newcastle University community discuss how they\u2019re negotiating the current <\/em>disruption<\/em>. Or not \u2026 because, well, everything\u2019s a bit difficult, isn\u2019t it?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by\u00a0Charles Deluvio<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Many of us, including the entire WDC team, are currently working or studying from home. One of the things we\u2019ve found we have in common with the students we\u2019ve been speaking to is a struggle with the initial loss of structure and routine this transition has caused. These routines \u2013 getting up at a certain time, having somewhere to go, arriving at the library at a particular time, studying a specific topic on a set day \u2013 help keep us motivated and stay focused. Their sudden loss can affect our mental wellbeing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, before we get to the core content of this post, one thing needs to be acknowledged. And that\u2019s that the world is a very difficult place to live in right now. You may have other, far more pressing things requiring your time and attention. Focused work may be an impossibility. And that\u2019s fine. We can recommend some funny fainting goat videos if you need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if focusing on your work or studies is something you\u2019d find helpful right now and you\u2019re interested in reading about how other people are coping in these challenging circumstances, this is the series for you. You might even pick up a tip or two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hope to chat to students, academics and professional services staff so do stay tuned. First up \u2026 well, of course it\u2019s us! We, the WDC \u2013 Helen, Nicky, Victoria and Caroline \u2013 got together to discuss the challenges we\u2019ve faced and the things that have helped us stay focused, keep motivated and feel like we\u2019re \u2018at work\u2019 when we\u2019re really just huddled in the only tidy corner of the front room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working from home can be challenging in many ways. What are the biggest challenges for you personally?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caroline<\/strong>: As a student, I really struggled with perfectionist tendencies and perfectionism is still something I have to negotiate. So, for me, one of the biggest challenges has been dealing with the gulf between my idealised image of homeworking\u00a0\u2013 where I am super productive and always motivated – versus the reality.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen<\/strong>:\u00a0As I\u2019m stuck at home, there\u2019s no\u00a0clear divide between work time and home time as there would be if I was commuting to the library each day \u2013 there\u2019s the danger of either overworking with no \u2018cut-off point\u2019 or just feeling constantly guilty that I *should* be working\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you been able to overcome these challenges? If so, how?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicky<\/strong>:\u00a0My current strategy is to do things that help me go into \u2018work mode\u2019. I still dress as if I were going into work, even wearing my formal shoes around the house!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen<\/strong>:\u00a0I\u2019m lucky that I\u00a0can keep a room specifically\u00a0for work \u2013 I\u2019m trying to close the door on it at 5pm. I\u2019m still using the same laptop for work and watching Netflix though, so I\u2019m trying to close down the browser windows and mute the notifications for work at 5pm, and likewise, the one for Netflix and social media is firmly closed at 9am! I\u2019m also still \u2018getting dressed\u2019 for work in the mornings, and the PJs only get worn after 5.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you manage to stay focused and remain productive? In other words, how do you make sure you feel like you\u2019re \u201cat work\u201d when you\u2019re at home?!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victoria<\/strong>:\u00a0I\u2019ve tried to keep to as much of a routine as I can. \u00a0Logging on and checking in with colleagues by 9am has helped to frame the start of my day. It\u2019s a small detail, but I\u2019ve also\u00a0kept to my work-wardrobe,\u00a0wearing clothes I would tend to keep for work rather than allowing myself to get used to more loungewear!\u00a0I\u2019ve also given myself tasks to do each day, and used my calendar to identify those tasks in my working day. I\u2019ve also discovered that the most productive place for me to be is at my kitchen table where I can look out into the garden and I have plenty of daylight coming through the conservatory.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen<\/strong>:\u00a0I\u2019m not sure how focussed and productive it\u2019s possible to be right now, but keeping a clear sense of why I\u2019m doing this really helps. Whatever routine tasks I have to tick off, I\u2019m bearing in mind that I\u2019m working to support students, and thinking of the real motivation for this helps. I\u2019m also being far stricter with myself about taking lunch breaks and knocking off at 5pm than I am usually at work! \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What new skills have you had to develop?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victoria<\/strong>:\u00a0The knowledge of using software, such as Zoom. However, rather than new skills, I feel as though I\u2019m honing and refining other skills, such as self-focus. \u00a0It could be possible to get drawn into making more cups of tea and doing other things I enjoy, such as working in the garden. However,\u00a0the professional work I do is important to me and that continues to give me a sense of purpose to my days and motivates me to keep a sense of focus to my working days. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicky<\/strong>:\u00a0I\u2019ve had to become a bit more disciplined in scheduling my days to alternate between work-tasks and breaks. Otherwise the two tend to bleed into each other and I\u2019m no good to anyone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What have you had to let go of? This might be a particular habit or skill, or just a way in which you\u2019ve generally had to manage your expectations and \u2018lower your standards\u2019?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caroline<\/strong>:\u00a0I have found it incredibly helpful to redefine my idea of \u201cproductivity.\u201d I\u2019m now trying to focus on what I produce or achieve in a day \u2013 writing a blog post, making a valuable contribution to a team meeting, helping a student with their dissertation \u2013 rather than how many hours I spend at my desk. That way, I don\u2019t feel guilty for not being \u201con\u201d all the time and for needing to take breaks to have a rest or manage my anxiety,\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victoria<\/strong>:\u00a0Rather than letting go, I see it as embracing how I deal with uncertainty. \u00a0Rather than trying to \u2018have everything figured out\u2019, I\u2019m working through my own thinking and approach to the speed at which things are changing, and how I can respond and work with these rapid changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicky<\/strong>:\u00a0Control? A lot of my coping strategies so far have been aimed at maintaining a sense of control over my surroundings, but there\u2019s only so much I can do. In truth, I think I\u2019m just trying to give myself time to adapt and embrace the \u2018new normal\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen<\/strong>:\u00a0I think the biggest challenge for any perfectionist is letting go of the idea that perfection is desirable, let alone possible. No one really knows what they are doing, or what to expect, and I\u2019m learning to work with that in a positive way. If we\u2019re all making things up as we go along, maybe there are no standards to judge \u2018perfect\u2019 when you\u2019re\u00a0innovating and being creative.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you could pass<\/strong> just one \u201cTop Tip\u201d to the many others currently working or studying from home, what would it be?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caroline<\/strong>:\u00a0Start each day by asking yourself what being productive would look like for you today. Think about what you need to do, and what you feel able to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victoria<\/strong>:\u00a0Be kind to yourself. This is a very unique set of circumstances that we are learning to cope with. Of course, we are also juggling changes to our working\/studying patterns with other important tasks, be it keeping in contact (virtually) with family members, taking care of dependents, and that\u2019s if we are feeling well ourselves!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicky<\/strong>:\u00a0It can be useful to try and retain a sense of normality in these circumstances, but don\u2019t give yourself a hard time when the abnormal (inevitably) encroaches. At the end of the day, this is a very unusual situation and sometimes we have no choice but to roll with the changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen<\/strong>:\u00a0Don\u2019t forget to take breaks.\u00a0Breaks are something you need, rather than deserve. And set yourself one small, doable task each day with a really concrete output so you feel you\u2019ve gone something\u00a0done that wasn\u2019t there before.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The first in a new series in which members of the Newcastle University community discuss how they\u2019re negotiating the current disruption. Or not \u2026 because, well, everything\u2019s a bit difficult, isn\u2019t it? Many of us, including the entire WDC team, are … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5874,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-time-management"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":233,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231\/revisions\/233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/academicskills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}