COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed all of our lives for now, and for the foreseeable future: home schooling, taking care of our loved ones who may have been infected, attending to the needs of our local communities, etc.. These are trying and difficult times, and will require all of us to adjust in order to move forward. Among these adjustments is the need to now work from home. Working from home has a lot of benefits. Having done it myself for several years, and leading an organization (www.nimbold.com) where the work from home culture is innate, if done well and with discipline, it can lead to better productivity, and overall satisfaction. In this post, I would like to share a few tips I have learned over the years that may help those who are new to working from home amid the COVID-19 crisis:
Establish a Routine
The temptation while working from home is to roll out of bed and immediately turn on your computer and start working in your pajamas. While this sounds great, and indeed is fun in the beginning, the lines between home and work quickly blur, inevitably leading to an unhealthy balance. Instead, treat working from home as if you were actually going to your physical work location: Wake up, do your morning routine, get changed, have breakfast, physically leave the house briefly if you are able, and then come back to start work. This way there is a very clear routine and distinction between home and work.
Own Your Morning
As mentioned above, it is easy to let the lines of work and home blur while working from home. As such, it is that much more important to ensure that you get your mornings started right (just read the countless studies around this). If you own your mornings, you own the rest of your day. Aligned with establishing a routine, find something that works for you to center your mind and prepare for the challenges of the day. For example, wake up early, do a light exercise (20 pushups, 50 jumping jacks, etc.) just get your blood flowing, make your bed, groom, change, have breakfast, make a cup of coffee, sit and read for 15-30 minutes (preferably something that is of interest to you, doesn’t have to be work related) or go for a walk. This time is for YOU to start your day for yourself, so that you can better deal with all the challenges you will face throughout the rest of your day.
Set up a Home Office
Once your morning routine is complete, and you are dressed and ready to work, you will want to physically go to a location in your home that is meant for work, with little distractions, and where you can focus. This might be a spare bedroom, a corner in your living room, etc. What ever that place is, that is your designated area, and you should have the equipment you need there to perform your work (computer, monitor, phone, notepad, etc.). Try and keep this area clean, and dedicated to your work. You will find yourself much more productive, and much less distracted
Communication
it is of UTMOST important to ensure that you can effectively and communicate with your co-workers remotely. It should be as easy to reach you remotely, as it is if you were in the office. This may take the form of phone calls, Slack, Teams, Zoom conferences, etc.. You will want to keep the channels of communication open so you can be reached during normal business hours, and that you can reach others. It is EXTREMELY easy to feel disconnected with your work, so it is imperative that you are always available during designated business hours, to be reached and to be able to hop on conference calls. This is what most organizations fear when allowing employees to work remotely. If you can communicate just as well remotely as you can in person, then this gives your employer or customer confidence in your ability to produce quality work remotely.
Set Designated Working Hours
Contrary to popular belief, many people often end up working much more when working remotely, compared to when they work in the office. It is easy to lose track of time when working from home, and easy to blur the lines between work and home. When going into the office, you have a set schedule of when you go to work, when you go to lunch, and when you go home. When working remotely, that schedule can easily be dismissed, and can negatively impact your work-life-balance, which can quickly lead to burn out. Consider setting designated working hours for yourself (as you would when going into the office), and try your best to abide by those hours. Once you hit your mark, step away from your office (#3), and “Leave Work”. You can always come back later if you choose, but it’s extremely important to maintain that separation.
Conclusion
I hope this helps some of you who are new to working from home in these tumultuous times. In my opinion, working from home has many wonderful advantages, but only if done with intention and discipline, as explained above.