Less than a month ago, I was enjoying a warm cup of coffee in one of my favourite cafes, with a very dear friend of mine. Well, at the time, little did we know we were about to be swept off our feet. It’s crazy what an ever-changing world we live in and adapt to the changes around us. Can you relate?

Over 3 months ago, nobody even knew about COVID-19 and the consequences it has on human health, until it was too late. The threatening novel coronavirus has single-handedly crushed the worldwide economy, broken health-care systems, filled up hospitals and emptied public places- who knew! Unfortunately, over 10 lakh people in the world have been affected and the numbers are only increasing.

Since most of us are/will be working from home for a good chunk of time, it is important to answer the most fundamental question of these panic-driven times. How to be productive while working from home? However, it is more important that we not only make our days at home more fruitful, but also swallow this pill with a little positivity that it may or may not be for long (keeping in mind the current situation). P.S it’s completely understandable if you don’t feel like being productive, but for those who wish to try, these pointers can work as gentle reminders. :)

Bed Ain’t Your Workstation

I know a lot of you need to hear this! Don’t make your bed your workstation. To beat the lazy blues, get up and sit on a desk, preferably set it up like your office desk (that’s what helps me). Creating a sense of “going to work’ will definitely help you. So that means changing your PJs, drinking coffee (or chai in my case) and get, set, WORK!!

A little safe corner for all your creativities while working from home. Picture by @ theartifart .

Steer Clear Of Distractions

If you were, say in the office, regularly working on the clock, would you get up in the middle of it to wash the dishes or do your laundry? Probably not. So it is only smart and necessary to not work somewhere where you’re not tempted or distracted easily. If at all you have chores that cannot be avoided, make sure to get done with them before your work-day starts. Reward yourself at the end of the day by binge watching your favourite show/movie.

Set Them Boundaries

It is quite a challenge to work from home with family, friends, and roommates. And taking my personal experience in consideration, your family members may not consider you working if they see you staring at the screen of your laptop. So what helps? Setting boundaries with them.

Let the people around you know that you will work for certain hours of the day and ask them to keep interactions to limited. I know it's a little hard in the beginning, but it is worth implementing.

Break The Monotony

This is for all the workaholics out there, if you find yourself working tirelessly, do take short breaks to freshen up. Get up and have a chat with your mom or play one or two rounds of Ludo with your father to keep your head in the game and also for better productivity. You can also indulge in online games with your faraway friends and call it a day!

Balance It Out

I know it’s very easy to get used to working all alone, but there’s also a major downside to it. For ambiverts such as myself, I like working around a few people and enjoy their company nonetheless. Working from home can lead to less or no socialization at all.

As distracting as some office environments can be, they also provide an occasional opportunity to chat with fellow coworkers and give you a fresh take on things. Make time to connect with others (be it friends, coworkers or distant family) to avoid total isolation. I know your cocoon of comfort gets too comforting after a certain point but try maintaining a balance for your own sake. :)

Stating The Obvious

I know, I know. If it is that obvious then why do i need to mention it? Because we’re forgetful adults who like being reminded every now and then to take a step back and relax. It is important to take care of yourself physically and mentally, not only in times of global crisis, but daily. Eat fruits, meditate and maintain a good sleep cycle to ace at productivity. And while you’re at it, stop being consumed by COVID-19 news all the time. I understand that it’s good to keep yourself informed, but only to an extent that it doesn’t start to bother you. Take care of yourself and your loved ones and you’ve solved the problem halfway!

Sanity Comes First

Strenuous times such as these are bound to drain you mentally. One of the most important things to take care of is YOUR mental health and if you feel even slightly dismembered, don’t hesitate to seek help. Acknowledging such issues should be your priority because they are hardly physically detectable, but their consequences are far worse. Reach out to friends, family or seek professional help online to strike back!

Positivity Is The Key, Literally

It is hard to keep a positive mindset amidst situations such as these, but it is very important to be practical and positive. Panic only makes it worse and doesn’t help you or the situation at hand. Relax and enjoy the company of people around you, pick a new hobby or simply start with an old one. There’s no time like the present, literally. :)

You may find yourself fixated on a continuous thought about the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s important to limit your ‘news time’ to draw a line in between. And as they say, “An empty mind is a devil’s workshop” it is also necessary to keep busy with fun and productive activities to do. And with Zostel as a helping hand, there won’t be a dull day in your week!

What Zostel Has In Store For You

Now that every traveller is stuck at home, visualizing those fun hostel stays is not the only thing you can do for a little entertainment! We have planned a lot of things for our community, all thanks to our dedicated team. Head to our Instagram to catch live workshops, movie nights, artist performances, and so much more for a constant pill of positivity. Join us for a whole lot of fun n’ frolic as we engage with the coolest community of backpackers with fun things to learn.

Your favourite Common Rooms across hostels are now online. Tune in to our Instagram for more fun!

Myth Busters

To appropriately end this blog, keep yourself as knowledgeable as you can. Make sure to keep an eye out for these myths which are spreading like a wild Whatsapp forward.

Exposing yourself to a temperature higher than 25℃ will not help prevent coronavirus. It can also be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climate. Instead avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose for better protection.

With a death rate of only 2%, coronavirus can be recovered from. With the right and timely medical assistance, you can beat it. Make sure to keep yourself informed about the early symptoms such as dry cough, fever and difficulty in breathing.

Being able to hold your breath for 10 seconds or more doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re free from the virus. The only way to be sure is with a laboratory test.

Drinking alcohol will not prevent you from the coronavirus. As much as you’d want to, alcohol will not solve this problem, or rather any of them. :(

Coronavirus does not spread through mosquito bites. Since it is a respiratory disease, the COVID-19 is most likely to be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. Washing your hands regularly is a possible way to protect yourself.

The official myth-breaker WHO has these and many other facts listed on their website, so do check them out for a better outtake on things.