How to survive working from home if you're an extrovert.
A common description of extroverts is that they recharge their batteries around others, while introverts recharge their batteries alone. While this is not a hard distinction, it is a good way of thinking about the implications of an extrovert to be isolated for an indeterminate amount of time. Extroverts gain energy and insight from engaging with others, whether in a purposeful work-driven way or in a casual water-cooler chat. Extroverts may find themselves sluggish and lethargic while working from home, but confused as to why since they got to sleep longer, skip the morning commute, and drink a leisurely cup (or cups) of coffee at their own pace. However, the lack of interaction with other humans can quickly drain extroverts’ batteries.
Fortunately, modern technology gives us ways to engage with others virtually that wouldn’t have been as easily accessible even 10 years ago. If you’re an extrovert who now finds yourself working at home permanently, here are some tips for surviving the isolation without climbing the walls.
The most important thing is not to push yourself to be uber productive to prove yourself to some imaginary audience. If you are feeling lethargic, take care of yourself. Rest, sleep, drink water, take vitamins, and try to move your body as often as you can. As an extrovert, you probably don’t sit still alone at home very often, so look for the ways it can replenish you instead of drain you. Take advantage of a slowdown to tune into your body and listen to its needs.
Use technology to engage with others face-to-face as much as possible. If you have a phone meeting scheduled with someone, ask if it can be done via video. Pick up the phone instead of sending a message. The other person’s voice will stimulate your brain into thinking you’re interacting with someone else more so than just the ping of a message.
Go for walks. We are so used to rushing our commute to get to the office that we often don’t look around our environments to take any of it in. Is there a building whose architecture you never noticed? Is there a park where dogs and children play that you can wander by and say hello? Is there a neighbor you’ve never had time to chat with before?
Reframe your mindset. Instead of complaining and lamenting that you’re stuck at home, think about all the things you say you’re going to do but let fall by the wayside when someone asks you to go get lunch or look over their monitor for a minute. Have you been meaning to organize your bookshelf for months? Listen to a podcast while you do it. Do you keep saying you’re going to Marie Kondo your closet when you get the chance? Call or FaceTime someone you’re close to, set up the phone where they can see you, and model all of your “maybe” outfits for them while you make decisions.
Like any unexpected changes, our default is to focus on the negative, but you may find that by reframing your mindset to focus on the positive aspects of working from home, you may end up finding yourself a lot happier than you anticipated.
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