Intern Diary: How do you have fun while working from home?

The issues and concerns surrounding mental health was highlighted on World Mental Health Day 2020 by the World Health Organisation.

With so many people and lifestyles impacted directly and indirectly by the COVID-19
the situation around the world, people are inclined to feel stressed and anxious. The importance of connecting and having a laugh can be vital for our mental health.

We asked the youngest members of the PRecious Communications team to share how they have fun during work while working from home.

Positivity and all-around good vibe

In a whirlwind environment like PR, it’s pretty easy to get lost in a haze of stress and stakes. However, sometimes it’s important to just stop and smell the roses. Learning to appreciate the people and moments around you, and taking every opportunity to enjoy life. Smiling and laughing isn’t as time-consuming as that deadline-focused, task-oriented part of your brain may be making it out to be. In my opinion, positivity and just all-around good vibes create a more conducive and motivational atmosphere for getting work done.

Don’t be shy in seizing openings to crack jokes or banter with your teammates when appropriate. Finding humour in situations and using it as a tool to work through stress and lift moods is a skill that we all should cultivate, especially during times like these when the forecast isn’t so sunny.

Contributed by Tisha Martinez, Junior Client Executive, PRecious Communications

Ease up and be happy

Having fun at work in the times of COVID-19 pandemic somehow sounds wrong to me, especially when the “work-from-home” working regime is a default. As a result, you end up spending your working days within the walls of your study room. On top of this, this remote mode has emphasized the transactional side of the day-to-day activities, erasing the “chit-chat” component and reducing the conversations to the “outstanding deliverables and results”. This does not sound like fun, does it? 

Staying connected with your teams and colleagues — this is what can light up your day! Short and occasionally silly conversations on team chats, boosted with friendly jokes, became my everyday happy pills allowing me to stay in a cheerful mood, no matter how hectic and insane the day can go.

Contributed by Anastasiia Tsilyk, Junior Client Executive, PRecious Communications

Pause and play your favourite music

Everyone taps on social connections to boost productivity, fun and engagement. Besides looking forward to the weekly team office sessions, it can be quite challenging to mirror the same contagious energy in that – work from home lifestyle.

In the midst of using your creative brain juices in work, allocate some time to pause and play your favourite background music, create light-hearted conversations with your teammates and just breathe. Incorporating fun is the only activity that does not require intense forehead furrows to form. An adaptive mindset, openness to learning and ‘won’t be too hard on myself today” attitude also goes a long way!

Contributed by Jeslin Kaur, Junior Client Executive, PRecious Communications

A quick pick me up

Working from home has been the default for many of us for several months now. For me, a quick ‘pick me up’ in between meetings and work schedules can help boost my productivity and loosen up a bit! It can be staring at the greenery, dog watching from the balcony or fixing a drink (non-alcoholic, of course .. Tepache anyone?). Now that we’re allowed to work at the office once a week, it certainly helps to build a stronger relationship with my colleagues – from receiving plants, reminiscing concert days and of course, teasing your colleagues about the latest football score!

Ultimately, you know what works best for you and how to motivate yourself, so loose up a bit .. just don’t forget your deadlines!

Contributed by Toh Liu Han, Junior Business Development Executive, PRecious Communications

Spruce up your work desk

Be appreciative. Work may seem draining at times, but being appreciative of your clients, colleagues, and managers in the workplace really help to lighten that load for everyone. That semicolon and bracket, coupled with a few words of thanks can really spice up someone’s day. 

Set the mood. Working from home can be fun when you enjoy working in that workspace. Spruce up your work desk with little figurines or line up your walls with beautiful sunset photographs. You may be stuck at home working, while your friends are having fun at the beach, but hey, at least you got your home fan and that Spotify playlist on repeat to keep you company.

Contributed by Grace Chan, Junior Client Executive, PRecious Communications

Interactive games

I believe that you fondly recall the work you did for a company with the fun memories you had there. Now that we are working from home, what’s stopping us from having fun?

Laptop screens have become our workplace, but virtual fun could be as exciting as virtual reality! As a new employee who joined during the pandemic, this is an amazing way for me to get to know everyone and bond with them. Team competitions, interactive holiday-themed games, fun quizzes, Pictionary, Secret Santa, I Spy seem like fun games we could try to take a break from work. This will help deal with stress and anxiety in a fun and positive way.

Having fun at work, especially virtual fun, is a different ball game, but nothing PinBall can’t solve 😉

Contributed by Aishwarya Valliappan, Junior Client Executive, PRecious Communications

Contact us for a 6 months internship at PRecious Communications to gain exposure at one of Singapore’s leading PR firms. We welcome graduates and students from universities, polytechnics or junior colleges from all backgrounds who are passionate about communicating in an impactful way.