Between kids (already bored) at home, distractions from everyday life, and a new work environment, you may find yourself more stressed. We hope these tips will help you stay focused, become more prepared, and achieve your goals.
1. Maintain Normal Hours
Set a schedule and stick to it. Whether you normally work 8am-5pm or 9am-4pm, stick to your normal hours and have clear guidelines for when to work and when to call it a day. This will not only help maintain work-life balance, but also set boundaries with other employees.
2. Keep a Dedicated Office Space
Figure out the best space in your home to work and create a space that you will feel productive in. If you have children under two, you may want to consider their playroom so you can keep them occupied while you work. If you need more quiet spaces, consider using your bedroom- but don’t get too comfortable you may fall asleep! Wherever you decide to claim your space, be sure you have your own desk or table, an outlet, and great internet connection. You’ll also need to set expectations with people around you. If you have kids who are older, roommates, or a partner; they need to understand your hours and what you need from them in order to work effectively.
3. Overcommunicate
Working from home communication is a lot different when you can’t run by your boss’ desk to let them know about a project you’re working on or a deadline you have coming up. Try emailing your team your list of to-dos first thing in the morning, and then update them on the progress before lunch and at the end of the day. Overcommunicating is the key to success when you’re working from home.
4. Show Up to Meetings
Be sure to show up and be vocal during scheduled meetings so everyone knows you’re on the call. It’s also a good idea to make have some meetings via video conference so you can get face to face interaction. Tip: be sure to be appropriately dressed from at least the waist up!
5. Stay Social!
It’s important to stay social with colleagues during this time period. Isolation can make any person go a little crazy. Most companies now have chat feature capabilities for their employees. Use it! While you can use a chat channel for work related topics, it’s a great way to get to know and stay connected with your co-workers and discuss items you may have in common or plans for the weekend.
Working from home during these unpredictable times can add stress to employees who normally go to an office building. We hope these tips will give you a little peace of mind and become efficient while working from home.
