6 Steps To Cope With WFH, Says Google Expert

Thanks to the unrelenting spread of COVID-19, most of us are working from home. Once considered the dream of many, the reality of WFH is far less promising. Not only are we forced to work longer hours than when we were at the office, but the workload has also increased several fold. This puts undue stress on our lives which could eventually lead to a burnout.

Lauren Whitt, the head of global resilience at Google, is well versed with such problems. Once a promising football (soccer) player in college with several accolades to her name, fate dealt her future a devastating blow due to two knee injuries. This forced her off the field in her sophomore and junior years. And with so much time off, she needed a way to cope.

“I began to study the idea of resilience more. How it changes your body and your life,” says Lauren.

Through the lessons she has learnt over the years, Lauren wants to help Googlers make the most of their time without detriment to their wellbeing. She believes that resilience is the ability to bounce back from any set back. And to be successful one needs to be able to take on challenges, pause to reflect, then take on the next one. These little breaks are very important in maintaining a certain level of efficacy.

Lauren has broken down the process into six easy steps that she uses at Google. Here’s how it work:

Establish a morning routine
Having a consistent routine everyday provides certainty and security in what you do. This is what prepares you for what’s to come, as you go through the motions.

Take mental recovery breaks throughout the day
Before jumping from one task to the next, Lauren believes that one needs to take a step back and “reset”. it’s these intentional breaks that will help you reconnect and recover.

Keep to a sleep schedule
Having a decent amount of sleep not only helps us recharge, but Lauren believes that keeping to a proper sleep routine enables us to reach into our minds and be able to recover from any stressors of the day.

Be intentional with the stories you tell yourself
Filling your mind with positivity, optimism and gratitude is essential to maintaining mental health. We should stop listening to the noise and only focus on thoughts that are intentional and constructive.

Plan Ahead
You should always have a plan but there should also be contingency plan should your original one, fail. Lauren says, instead of being surprised by a problem, we should think about what can go wrong. This will help alleviate some of the stress associated wih the task and help us manage the process better.

T.E.A. Check
Notice how your resilience changes throughout the day and turn your focus to where it needs to be. We must be aware of our thoughts, energy and attention. This determines how well we are able to cope each day.