Productivity in the Time of Coronavirus

Image from NIAID-RML, found on Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons

Not everyone has the luxury of worrying about productivity; here’s a thank-you to all the doctors, nurses, delivery people and such who are out there taking care of us. If you hire housecleaners, it would be a kindness to tell them to stay home while you still pay them.

But for those trying to work at home (or in an office, hopefully with plenty of social distance — or those just trying to get personal projects done — I wanted to share some words of sympathy and advice I’m seeing on Twitter.

A “you're not alone” thought from Caroline Moss:

Is anyone else’s brain so broken that you’re beating yourself up for not being productive enough about work during an unprecedented global pandemic

Advice from David Griner:

Real talk: If you’re not feeling productive, it’s not because you’re working from home or poorly managing your time.

It’s because life right now is just a horrible grinding background noise that never leaves your brain. Be kind to yourself. Let things go.

And sympathy plus advice from Jessica:

I’ve worked from home for 20(!) years, I love it, I’m made for it, I can’t imagine not doing it—and I’ve gotten absolutely *nothing* done for the past week.

Newly WFH folks, the situation now is totally unconducive to concentration and productivity. Be gentle with yourselves.