In our current climate, there are many employees who are navigating a work from home scenario for the first time. While this digital world we live in is more responsive to remote working that at any time in the past, recognizing potential challenges and how to overcome them can help ensure productivity as we work from home.
Here are a few tips to consider.
Maximize your commute time
Take the time you normally spend commuting and put it to good use. Whether it’s organizing something in your home, getting the laundry done, or getting in a short workout, tackling a project you’ve been putting off and getting it done can go a long way to reducing mental “clutter” so you can focus better throughout the day.
Set up a dedicated workspace
Having a designated place to work can help free employees from the normal distractions of home life. Setting up an “office” away from where you spend time with family can also help save time as you leave your computer, work notes, files etc., out at the end of the day, rather than having to set everything up each morning.
Stay in touch
There are a variety of virtual tools to stay in touch with your team, including the tried and true phone. Just because you can’t see each other face to face doesn’t mean communication is limited. It’s more important than ever to stay connected, consider a daily touch base call with those you work with regularly.
Practice self-care
It’s really easy when working from home to snack throughout the day or pick up other habits you might regret later as you adapt to remote work, the stress of new environments and the stress of the current health climate. Encourage yourself and your remote employees to exercise, get quality sleep, eat healthy well-balanced meals, and take time to relax.
Take a break
When your personal life and your work are both under the same roof, it's harder to switch off, and we can be more vulnerable to working longer hours, a more intense work pace, and, in some cases, greater stress. Recognize there is always something new to be solved, so “switch off” at night appropriately in order to be refreshed and ready the next morning.
Dress for success
Let’s be honest, one of the perceived benefits of working from home is that you can do it in your pajamas or sweatpants. The term “dress for success” is easy to ignore when you can roll out of bed and be on duty in a minute or less. However, studies* have shown that we are more productive and feel more competent if we dress for work as if we were headed to the office. Look professional=feel professional!
