Making WFH Work for You
It’s here. The paranoia over COVID-19 has driven people into social isolation and toilet paper paranoia all across the globe, and many of us are expected to WFH (work from home) for some amount of time. This week my company had us work from home to test if our systems could support the entire headquarters working remotely, and it occurred to me that many Americans will be working from home for the first time in their career because of coronavirus. This reality is what inspired today’s post on how to make working from home work for you. Working from home is entirely different from working at your workplace, and is a privilege. And if not approached with the right mindset, working from home can lead to unproductive days and an idle mind. As someone who has lots of experience working from home, I thought I would share my best advice on how to make the most of the days of forced isolation.
Stick with your routine
The initial thought of working from home is exciting. I get to sleep in, I don’t have to do this, or that. But what I have learned from working from home over the past year is that continuing your daily routine as if you were in the office is one of the best ways that you can set yourself up for a successfully productive day. Keeping your mind and your body in the same rhythm of your normal work schedule helps with building/retaining focus, and remaining engaged in your work. That means waking up when you normally would, get dressed like you’re going into the office, have your lunch/snacks figured out. If you start work, eat, and leave at the same time, continue to do those things at your normal times. Emulating your typical work routine at home makes the change management a lot less painful.
TIP #1: Put on lipstick. Lipstick is war paint, and putting it on while WFH makes you feel ready for battle, even at home. Plus, you’ll look killer in your video conferences ;)
Create a Work Environment
For the people fortunate enough to have an at-home office, creating a space designated for work may not be much a challenge. For people like me in a small apartment, where you sleep and where you work may be very close. Creating a designated place to work is critical to promoting focus and actually getting shit done. This could be your kitchen table, a desk, or for me, on the floor at the coffee table. I also think it helps if where you are working is slightly uncomfortable. Working and sleeping shouldn’t be equally as comfortable. Nothing ridiculous, but getting up for a break and going to bed should feel nice at the end of the day.
TIP #2: Work from a coffee shop if you can. Simply getting out of the house can help get you back into your flow state and keep the physical distance between work and rest. If you can, support your local businesses during this time.
Call Your Co-Workers
Many of us are a part of teams, and suddenly being removed from a collaborative environment can be a hard adjustment. When I have been in a rut, or just need to readjust my focus, I call a coworker. It’ll fill your social tank, reconnect you with your work, and give you a spark of inspiration to keep going.
TIP #3: WFH with others. Whether it’s your friends, or your colleagues (who also happen to be my friends), meeting up with your people can help you complete collaborative work and feel less isolated.
Video-Meetings
While many meetings become emails when you are working from home, what meetings you do take online should be held with video. Even just seeing your team can re-orient a fleeting mind
TIP #4: Bring your pet into the video meeting. You win
I hope these tips help those of you who will be navigating working from home for the first time. I will be working from home for at least the next two weeks, and I know my sanity will be tested. But with these tips, ample coffee, and hope for a glass of wine at the end of the day, working from home can be a real treat. Good luck to you all, and share this with those who could benefit from it. Stay safe!