Good Practice
Although many people have had the unfortunate experience of being unemployed due to the economic shutdown, others have been able to continue working from home.
Working from home (WFH) can take some getting used to. In order to be efficient an individual must be organized, proactive, and disciplined. Adjusting to a new routine can be challenging the first week or two; however, after a month of working remotely we’ve established some good practice for our employees to accomplish just as much if not more than at the office.
Good Practice: Working From Home
Get Dressed
This might seem a bit ridiculous to even mention; however, it’s easy to stay in your pajamas all day or just put on your comfy clothes and sit on the couch. Being in pajamas or comfy clothes seems like a great idea but it’s not going to set you up for success, it’s not motivating when you’re in slouchy clothes and sitting on the couch all day. It’s easier to become distracted by what could be going on around you or in the vortex of social media. Which brings me to our next tip.
Stay Off Social Media
Unless your role in the company you work for requires you to use social media than stay away from it! It is a black hole of consumerism and the easiest way to lose valuable work time. If you can’t resist and have a serious case of FOMO then set a designated time to go on, check it out, and get your fix. Allow yourself 20-30 minutes then put it down till your completely done with your tasks for the day.
Set Up A Work Space
Not everyone has the luxury of a home office, and you don’t want to stay in bed all day because then your brain won’t know how to distinguish down time from work time. If you have a dining table, then designate a side of the table for you. If the dining table isn’t an option, you can try using your kitchen counter, either stand or get a barstool to have handy (you can find inexpensive ones if you think working at your kitchen counter will only be temporary). Another option could be your coffee table, it might involve sitting on the floor; however, it’s still a good space.
Work Regular Hours
Cutting travel time is the greatest aspect of WFH, you get to sleep in those extra 10 minutes you’ve always wanted, relax while drinking coffee, get a quick morning workout in, and spend some time with your family. Nevertheless you want to be at your workstation at the same time you would arrive at your office. Apply the same for the end of your work day, whenever you would leave work regularly start wrapping up your work at home.
Be Creative
This practice isn’t always given enough attention and there is no better time than now to release your creative energy. Brush up on skills you haven’t used in a while, allow yourself to use your creative process in your work; perhaps you’ll find out something works better for you. Learn a new skill, you’ve never had more time to teach yourself something new and develop new ideas.
Today, we might all be thinking that this will never end and that we all look forward to going back to “normal”; however, instead of wanting to go back we should want to move forward and find new ways to do business and accomplish our goals. It will certainly take some time but society always progresses faster in times of uncertainty, in times of peace people are comfortable with the world as it is.