When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, companies moved their employees from an office setting to a remote work setting.  According to Zippia.com, 27% of U.S. employees as of 2023 work remotely and by the end of 2025, the number is anticipated to be 36.2 million remote workers.   

https://www.zippia.com/advice/remote-work-statistics/ 

If you are currently part of this 27%, have you found ways to cope with your new work challenges?  No longer do you have co-workers dropping by your desk to chat or a lunch time walk, but now you have the kids, the dogs, the doorbell, etc.  You also have to learn new skills, such as virtual communication and more technology. 

PA.gov offers a Home Survival Guide for Self-Care because self-care is an essential part of adjusting to this new normal. 

https://www.oa.pa.gov/telework/Documents/Your-Work-From-Home-Survival-Guide-for-Self-Care.pdf 

This site lists 11 helpful suggestions to maintain sanity and consistency in your life. 

1. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule 

2. Put Some Pants On (Yoga Pants Count) (and maybe comb your hair and brush your teeth) 

3. Create a Home-to-Work ‘Commute’ (make a “transition” time into working, the same as commute time” 

4. Carve Out a Designated Workspace (have an assigned work area) 

5. Build Breaks Into Your Schedule (lunchtime walks with family and the dogs) 

6. Eat a Real Lunch (and Don’t Forget to Stay Hydrated) (“pack” your lunch, instead of snacking or grabbing junk food) 

7. Set a Workout Time to Reset and Refresh (exercise regularly) 

8. Try Live Classes for Guided Sweat Sessions (online programs or live sessions) 

9. If Your Kids Are Home, Get Them Involved in Your Self-Care Regimen (involve the family to plan the day) 

10. Have a Clock-Out Time to Avoid Overworking Yourself (with no commuting, you may tend to work longer) 

11. Finally, Make an Appointment for You Time (find healthy ways to comfort yourself, set priorities, stay connected, and create structure) 

There are many other online sites you can review for helpful tips on dealing with working from home-  

https://www.firstpagestrategy.com/remote-work-blog/remote-work-loneliness-5-tips-for-coping 

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/2020/05/08/working-from-home-during-coronavirus-tips-to-cope-reduce-stress/5177086002/ 

https://www.everydayhealth.com/self-care/how-to-cope-with-work-from-home-burnout/ 

https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/how-deal-stress-caused-working-home 

If you are a member of Linkedin, you have access to a variety of trainings, not only for self-management, but other work-related topics.  Linkedin is an online professional network you can use to develop professional relationships and develop skills. 

https://www.linkedin.com/authwall?trk=qf&original_referer=https://www.linkedin.com/&sessionRedirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2F%3Foriginal_referer%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F 

Dauphin County Libraries offer several books on dealing with working from home: 

The work from home handbook: flex your time, improve your life / by Diana Fitzpatrick & Stephen Fishman. (658.0412 FIT) 

The future of the office : work from home, remote work, and the hard choices we all face / Peter Cappelli. (PRO 658.3123 CAP) 

Solo : how to work alone (and not lose your mind) / Rebecca Seal. (PRO 658.3123 SEA) 

Take back your time : the guilt-free guide to life balance / Christy Wright. (640.43 WRI) 

Set boundaries, find peace : a guide to reclaiming yourself / Nedra Glover Tawwab. (158.1 TAWI) 

#Chill : turn off your job and turn on your life / Bryan E. Robinson, Ph. D.                 (155.9042 ROB) 

Listening to music while you are working can promote productivity and relaxation. Create a playlist of a particular musical genre or of your favorite artist(s).  The Library offers thousands of cd’s and online music to choose from.  (Please note: Online music from The Library is thru Hoopla and is available to those who live in our service area.  For further information regarding Hoopla, go to https://www.dcls.org/node/150. - Changes to Hoopla.).  Other options for streaming music include, Pandora, Spotify, Apple Music,        You Tube Music or Amazon Music. Choose a variety for when you are working, when you need to take a break and also when you need a pick me up for that mid-afternoon slump.    

Working from home can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding- it just takes some revision of you work mindset, some creativity and flexibility. 

To see additional statistics regarding working from home., check out the links below. 

https://www.zippia.com/advice/remote-work-burnout-statistics/ 

https://www.zippia.com/advice/work-from-home-statistics/ 

https://www.apollotechnical.com/working-from-home-productivity-statistics/ 

https://www.goco.io/blog/work-from-home-statistics/#:~:text=One%20advantage%20was%20improved%20work,%2Drelated%20skills%20(10%25). 

https://legaljobs.io/blog/remote-working-statistics/