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ARTICLE

Work From Home Self Care: 11 Tips for Fundraisers

nonprofit remote work

Work from home self care is essential for fundraisers.

I’ve been doing it for 10 years, here’s how it works. Work from home self care is all about the BLANKET LIFE. I love wrapping my legs in a blanket and getting work done.

So, it’s a scary time. And it’s more important than ever now, to take care of yourself. I have included what I do, each week, to take care of myself, below. Feel free to take or discard any of these ideas. Do what works for you. Here’s a fun brain fact that can help you with anxiety right now.

Did you know that your limbic brain, the lizard brain in the back of your head, processes fear much like our ancient ancestors? If you are feeling anxious, here’s a quick tip for you. If you have no COVID-19 symptoms (What are they? Skip to page 12 in the WHO report here), take a walk around the block and come back inside. Your brain will think you are running from predators, and then you escaped! Try it. Let me know what you think. Aside from taking a quick walk, what else can you do?

What you can do to improve your work from home self care routine:

  • Glass of water: Do this as soon as you wake up! Why? You get dehydrated in the night. This will help you reduce under eye circles too. Make sure you keep drinking water throughout the day. This is also good in case you aspirate some germs.
  • Blanket: For covering your legs and staying cozy while you work from home.
  • Comfy office chair: Do not work in your bed if you can help it, try to keep work and bed separate. (If you don’t yet have one, this is the one I like.)
  • Phone calls: I recommend calling friends and family at least once a day, just to get community. This has helped me with my own isolation as a business owner and remote worker over the last 10 years.
  • Electric tea kettle: SUPER convenient if you need to grab a quick cup of tea or pour-over coffee. (If you don’t yet have one, I like this metal one with no plastic pieces.)
  • Couch: When I don’t feel like working, I take a walk, then I go sit on my couch, and then it makes it feel less like I’m working. I got my couch because it had nice back support for working from home, plus it’s also good for naps. (If you don’t have this, getting a sturdy pillow or two behind your back can work.)
  • Lots of plants: According to Psychology Today, studies have shown that looking at plants calms you down when you are stressed, plus it’s good for air quality— speaking of which:
  • Air filter: Clean air is crucial for work from home self care. Plus, it leads to greater productivity. (I have this air filter that was not too expensive, and it really works)
  • Foot massaging roller: (This is the one I use.) It is nice to use as a way to wake yourself up in the middle of the day or give yourself a foot massage as you work.
  • Podcasts: If you have to socially isolate, at least do it with people you like to listen to! Favorites right now: For the Wild Podcast, because its thoughtful interviews with world-changing activists give me hope, and The Dollop, because it’s an American history podcast that also does other countries, and it’s so funny (it can be a bit ableist at times).
  • Therapy: Seriously. It’s a trying time, there are plenty of therapists who offer online sessions and it would be good to talk with someone.

Got more working from home self care or tech tips? Please leave a comment!

Mazarine Treyz
Mazarine Treyz is a nationally-recognized strategist for fundraising planning and communications. She is the CEO of Wild Woman Fundraising and the Author of The Wild Woman's Guide to Fundraising, as well as other books. Creator of over 12 e-courses, 3 masterclasses and 3 books, she has coached and taught over 12,000 nonprofit professionals how to be better fundraisers since 2010. Mazarine is the founder of the Fundraising Career Conference and the Nonprofit Leadership Summit.

Comments

  • Sandra Handley

    Here go a few from 20 years of working (on - off) virtually. - Keep a timetable - if it includes a nap, so be it, but try to get up at the same time, from Mondays to Fridays. Same goes if you work night time. - Get dressed. It's like changing into work clothes, even if it the comfy old T-shirt and shorts you would never use at a regular office. - Have a system working. Say you translate all day... well, set your alarm on your cell to ring every 45 minutes. This allows you to concentrate on your work withouth watching the clock - and when it rings, get up, stretch your legs, get a tea, drink some water, stretch! - Ideally, set up an area of your home for the office - if it's a different room, so much the better. If you have a family roaming around, define with them that when you are in your "office" you're out of bounds, and if there is a "DO NOT DISTURB" message on the door, this must be respected at all times. Obviously that depends on each family needs. But if you are on a crucial conference call, you should'nt be distracted by children fighting over who gets the tv control. Or like in my case, my husband who just wanted to see if I was ok, and distracted me in the middle of an important calculation. I mentioned a system in the previous point: well, set up time for family, but get them to respect your office time too. - Definietely use a proper desk and chair - I prefer chairs with 5-arm base, hight control, and armrests. - If you've had a system crash at some point you know how important it is to get it all working again - I used to have a "crisis to do list", to make sure I installed all the programs I needed to work, whether a pdf printer or winzip, etc. It is quite frustrating having to recover lost time and find you still don't have that programme you needed! Well, how this helps! Regards
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