Working From Home the ITCH Way

It’s been more than six months since we started working from home and we’ve fully realized that it’s now the default for many many of us indefinitely. Good morning hugs, hallway hellos, bustling brainstorming sessions, and afternoon coffee runs are now replaced by the stilted echo of Zoom calls and Telegram chats.

While working from home has its perks—no dress code, no long commutes, no traffic—it’s not without its hitches and challenges. Distractions abound. Physical interaction with our teammates is non-existent. Animal noise is at an all-time high. But the greatest disadvantage of remote work is how emotionally and mentally taxing it is, especially when done for an extended period of time.  

Itch is no foreigner to the work from home setup. Even before Miss Rona disrupted the world, everyone in our team has had the privilege to work remotely once a month on a day of their choosing. This allowed us to quickly and easily adapt to the “new normal” that our industry faces. That’s why we’re here to share some tips from our team to help you survive working from home the ITCH way!

 

I – Invest in Yourself

Investing in yourself may be the most profitable investment you’ll ever make. This means creating a healthy ecosystem at home that allows you to be the best version of yourself. Can’t function without your regular caffeine fix, invest in a dependable coffee maker! Prone to backaches? Buy a swiveling chair, similar to what you have at work. Missing your office? Get a dead plant to remind you of your work station. In short, i-check out mo na yung online shopping cart mo, you deserve it!  Investing in yourself means treating your self every once in a while. Support local vendors selling your favorite food! Nabusog ka na, nakatulong ka pa! 

T – Time Management is Queen (Yes, queen!)

We’ve heard this phrase a million times already, but it’s definitely most applicable in this situation. Now that we spend the majority of our days at home, we need to manage our time wisely to create a work-life balance. Be sure to maximize your time away from work. Don’t be afraid to indulge yourself during your lunch break—take the full hour! Kain lang nang kain, unli rice naman sa bahay! Remember that working from home doesn’t mean we need to be working all the time! 

C – Connect to Disconnect

Just because we’re practicing physical distancing doesn’t mean we have to be socially distant! Connect with your friends as a way of disconnecting from work. It doesn’t have to be as special as a game night or a full-blown e-numan. It could be as simple as a call where you rant and chismis the night away! Remember, a chismis a day, keeps the bad vibes away!

H – Hinga, Sis

When things start to get overwhelming, don’t forget to breathe (literally and figuratively). INHALE. EXHALE. As soon as you feel yourself getting stressed, take a break and walk around the house, water your plants, or even play with your dog. Anything to help you feel centered. And no, this isn’t procrastinating! Don’t be afraid to ask your AE/AM for some breathing room if your workday feels like five workweeks rolled into one. For sure, they’ll understand and make a way, but if they don’t, riot na lang!  


How do you maintain a healthy balance between “work” and “home” while working from home? Share them with us on Instagram and Facebook, @itchcreatives on Instagram and Itch Creatives on Facebook! As we continue to work from the comforts of our home, remember that there’s no singular definition of what productivity should be, especially in the midst of a global pandemic. Take care of yourself. And don’t forget, ‘wag papabudol kahit work from home!