King’s Careers & Employability are here to help you, wherever you are on your career journey. Our virtual services are open for all students, alumni and members of King’s community. Find us on our digital careers platform Keats, as well as our appointment and event space King’s CareerConnect.
Do you find yourself suddenly cast into remote working? Is the thought of studying your spring semester virtually just a bit daunting? Don’t worry – you can get your head in the game with our top 5 tips to best adapt to working/studying remotely.
1) Give yourself time to adjust
When big changes come around, we can feel overwhelmed, confused and lose our momentum. Things we found easy in regular situations might now be difficult and this can look different for different people: you might struggle to concentrate, you might feel less creative or take longer to follow up on tasks.
You know how people often say that “you go through different stages of grief”? Well – there is a similar process to change. The Change Curve is a model often used in business and change management. It tells us that we don’t just adjust to changes easily and quickly – instead, it can take a long time to react to the shock and confusion of a new situation. After a while, we can then come to accept the change and move forward in an active, creative way. Remember, your journey through change is a marathon, not a sprint!
2) Help yourself get into a routine
It might be tempting to sleep late and stay in those pyjamas but sticking to a routine can help you adjust to your new remote study/work environment faster and make things seem more normal. Being in control of your schedule may really help you gain control of the new situation and get closer to that “flow” which we often get in when we’re working at university or in the office. Also, don’t forget your other routines: even as you are now at home, take those 10am coffee breaks or lunchtime walks. Also: dressing and getting ready as if you were going to uni or work in the morning can help you get energised and boost a productive mindset!
As well as creating a routine for work, remember to have a set time for “leaving work”! Try to finish at a certain time every day and really use that rest of the day to unwind in your favourite ways.
3) Support your learning and working with technology
While some tasks are easy to do remotely, there are plenty of aspects in remote study and work that means you’ll have to get used to virtual alternatives to get your essential tasks completed.
King’s has a really useful page to learn more about supporting your learning and working with technology. Here you can learn all about how King’s supports you to work remotely and continue regular study tasks, assessments and learning in a virtual way. In addition, Keats has a resource page for all of the learning technologies available at King’s which all of our students have access to. Also, explore King’s Academic Skills For Learning Hub to help you keep on track with your studies.
We know that developing your employability isn’t always that easy. Are you wondering if your CV is up to shape? What about that upcoming interview? Overwhelmed and don’t know Why not book a virtual appointment with our Career Consultants and Application Advisors via King’s CareerConnect – we are here for you! Overall there are loads of great technological solutions to support our academic and professional lives.
4) Reach out to your community
When we’re at home, it’s easy to feel disconnected from our immediate university or work community. In this time, extra attention to communication will help you maximise contact with others and get information about what’s happening.
Talk to the people in your course or colleagues at work and share your journey of adjusting to the new situation. Connections, from all levels of university and work life, are still a valuable resource even via virtual means. If you can’t meet others face-to-face, use apps like Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Skype to have a lunch with a friend, talk to your lecturer, or chat with a Careers Consultant on one of our Career Guidance and Application Advice appointments. Communication isn’t just about work either: you can start a virtual study group, book club or organise a party! It can really help you feel a sense of normality when those social plans don’t have to get cancelled.
5) Protect your wellbeing
A sudden change in our study or work life can make all kinds of things go haywire. We all deserve to study and work without feeling overwhelmed, so a few good measures to reduce stress are good to keep in mind!
It’s also important to know that when times get tough, we might need help. Mental Health UK has listed a page of key contacts for when you feel like you need help, and don’t know where you should turn to. Also, King’s College London offers an online support service called The Big White Wall, an anonymous online mental health support space, which you can reach out to 24h/7.
For our tips on reducing stress and reaching out for support, check out our Instagram graphic below.
