I think I’m starting to feel more at ease about my lack of productivity outside of work. At the beginning of March, I wanted to take full advantage of my time at home, busying myself with personal projects and hobbies. I thought I could go through the unread books on my shelf, write software, make candles, and work on different fermentation projects. Unfortunately, the reality is that I end up feeling spent on most days.

It was frustrating at first, but I’m grateful that at least I have work when 30 million people in the US don’t. So these days, I’ve focused more on maintaining a routine instead of striving to do more.

Routine

Setting up a routine was difficult at first because I’ve gotten used to matching my activities with the right environment. If I wanted to exercise, I’d be at the gym. If I wanted to work, I’d be at the library or my coworking space. If I wanted to relax, I’d be at the park.

So the challenge in the first few weeks was to build new habits in the same environment. There was this excellent and surprisingly practical article from retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly that I found useful. He talks about how crucial schedules are for helping people adjust to a different environment.

6am to 9am: Booting up and doing chores

Having some time for myself in the morning to shower, drink coffee, journal, budget, and meditate has been an essential part of my routine in the last two months. I feel that it’s almost non-negotiable. It gives me some space to slowly ramp up my day instead of immediately jumping into work. This is also the time when I write on this blog/newsletter.

9am to 5pm: Work time

I find that running a website blocker and putting on some background noise helps me switch from lounge mode to work mode. I’m fortunate that I didn’t have to adjust the way I work since I’ve been working remotely for 7 years now. Still, I do miss the option of being in a coworking space/library/coffee shop.

5pm to 6pm: Exercising

Since I no longer sprint to catch the bus, climb up the stairs, or carry heavy loads of groceries, I’ve been prioritizing exercise at home. I got a pull-up bar and some resistance bands in March, and I’m actually surprised by the exercises that you can do with minimal equipment. I also got creative with some empty milk jugs by filling them with water and cramming them in my backpack to make a weighted vest.

6pm to 10pm: Spending time with people

I used to fill this time with personal projects, but now I’ve opted to dedicate this block of time for people. I’ve recently been spending this time with Andrea (making dinner, watching TV, or playing games) and calling my friends/family. I rarely called people on the phone before all this, but I find that hearing people’s voices is almost necessary for me these days.