The world has changed in so many ways since the pandemic and COVID-19 outbreak. Personal and professional lives have been impacted in ways that were unimaginable just a few short months ago. Many of us are now working from home, and with that comes a whole new set of challenges. We wanted to share some tips and insights that we have learned in managing the delicate balance of working from home while juggling family and social needs.

This is part of our best in class series of articles by Nick Santoro and Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers ( www.personalpropertymanagers.com ) who service Pennsylvania and New Jersey and specialize in real estate, home content downsizing, senior transition services, property management and estate sales, but we mainly work with families to assist them during times of transition.

Working from home can blur the lines between your personal and professional life. For those of you who are now working from home, we are sure that you have experience the challenges of being on a work call or zoom video meeting and having the dog barking in the background or the baby crying or the TV blasting in the next room. Additionally, it’s often difficult to stop working at the end of the day. So where do you draw the line? This imbalance can lead to elevated stress levels and unhealthy habits, not to mention social and family isolation.

So here is a list of tips that we have found to help give you some balance and peace while working from home:

• Declutter and organize your home so you’re not distracted by any mess when trying to focus on work.
• Set some ground rules for family members and let them know that when you are home working that being interrupted is not OK; that you are working and will be happy to be with them after your work is done.
• Loneliness, disconnect, and isolation are common problems in remote work life, especially for extroverts. Stay as connected as possible with friends and family with simple phone calls, walks in the park, Facetime or Zoom virtual contact. Remember we are all in this together. Let’s support one another.
• Don’t eat where you work. This not only keeps your workspace clean but also sets a boundary between the places where you work and relax.
• Break the monotony of working from home and do some stuff differently
• Don’t share your workspace with others in your household. Each person should have a dedicated workspace. Ideally, in different rooms.
• Create structures in your day that prioritize your wellness. Don’t forget to get up and move and exercise.
• Stick to morning routine you had in normal times as much as possible. Make your bed, shower, go out and grab a cup of coffee, change out of sweatpants.
• Plan healthy meals for the week so you’re not snacking and frequently just because you’re steps away from your kitchen
• Set alarms on your phone or your smart watch to remind yourself to stand up and stretch, take a lunch break, or go outside for a walk
• Keep your business-related materials in a dedicated workspace
• Save housework for dedicated time outside of working hours
• Set a firm time to stop working and create a to do list for the next day. This will help you avoid working long into the night
• We know it’s difficult to go out to a restaurant or bar or even be with extended family and friends, so try planning some virtual social time. Try Zoom video calls or Facetime calls to friends and family. Stay connected even if you cannot do it in person.
• Avoid electronics after your work is done for the day.  Don’t get stuck into the habit of watching TV all night after working on the computer all day. Get up, get out and move.
• Try to go to bed at the same time every night. Before falling asleep, listen to soothing music or use a mediation app instead of scrolling through your phone.
• Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. This can take shape in many forms like biking or simply walking but do it; do something to get the blood flowing and relieve pressure and stress of being cooped up in the house. It can also be a good family thing to do.

Family and safety is of utmost importance today more than ever. So if you are thinking about moving, downsizing or are the administrator of a family estate and need help during this transition, give us a call. With Personal Property Managers, one call does it all.

We offer 6 primary services to help families or executors. They are:

• Full Service discount Real Estate sales
• Home Downsizing, de-cluttering, and cleanout services
• Estate sale and content liquidation services
• Property repairs and maintenance services
• Absentee home watch services
• Home rental services.

Additional info can be found on this brief 90 second video or a full array of great tips and insights and video by clicking on our resource page.

For more insights, tips and videos please visit our Resource Page in the About us tab.

 

For more information on real estate or home downsizing please contact Nick Santoro or Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers at 215-485-9272 or 908-368-1909. Personal Property Managers specializes in helping home owners transition from their home of many years into a new community. Personal Property Managers services Pennsylvania and New Jersey and offers downsizing services, estate sales services, home staging, discount full service real estate services via its association with EveryHome Realty. Learn more about Personal Property Managers from our recent News Stories.

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