Having a schedule isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.

Text by Elizabeth Grace Saunders | Fast Company

Having a schedul will mean the difference between feeling like you have no grounding and sense of direction, leading you to waste huge amounts of time each day, and developing a sense of clarity, purpose, and productivity.

SLEEP

Given the huge increase in news, which can have a direct impact on your life, and the disappearance of the normal commute and work/school schedule, there is a high risk of your sleep schedule derailing. You may find yourself staying up later than usual while engrossed in the most recent latest headlines. This scenario does not need to become your reality. In fact, no commute can be an opportunity for you to rest better than ever. Not only will this help you become more productive, but it will also boost your mood and immune system.

WORK

If you can, the recommendation is that you keep your work schedule as close as possible to what you were doing when you were in the office. For example, start and stop your workday at the same time as the day before. Some other recommendation is try to keep the surrounding activities as similar as possible. For example, if you walk to work and walk home, go on a walk around your neighborhood to mimic that habit. If you had lunch with a coworker, eat lunch with that coworker over a video call. Whatever you can do to keep a similar cadence, do it.

The reason for this is that even if you’re in a different place, your mind already has deeply embedded patterns. Keeping the same schedule allows you to take advantage of already established ways of doing things, while creating new habits puts you at risk of becoming distracted and shifting your schedule later and later.

CHILDCARE 

If you’re not only working from home but also have your kids at home, you’ll need to build a new schedule for both yourself and your family. Kids thrive on structure, so developing routines similar to the ones they are used to at school and at daycare will help prevent behavioral issues and promote harmony at home. You can do this by setting aside specific times for meals, physical activity, learning, and play.

If you’re unable to split shifts with your significant other, make the most of your time before your kids wake up in the morning, before their nap times, or after they go to bed. Then do the less challenging work, like answering emails, when your kids are up and about.

EXERCISE

In some respects, fitting in physical activity can become easier with the elimination of commute times, but the practical and safe application is much more difficult. The typical routines were often built around access to gyms, studios, and pools. Now, these spaces are either barred or completely shutdown.

In these times, you have to think through what you still can do. Do workout videos, do strength-training with free weights, and go move around outdoors within a reasonable distance. Even if you’re not able to practice with your sports team, you can work on techniques, like kicking a ball or shooting free throws.

RECHARGING

Given the huge amount of uncertainty right now, setting aside intentional time to recharge is essential. The experts encourage you to limit your time on social media or watching the news. Instead, try to find something each day that brings you true relaxation. It could be exercise, praying, reading, listening to music, spending time with your family, or doing a creative hobby.

There are no guarantees of what will happen in the future. However, by creating a schedule, you can make the most of the present.