During the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies are requiring that more employees work from home. Some are used to it, but for others, working from home can be a lonely enterprise in this era of social distancing. We asked our staff to share tips that they personally use every day to make their remote workdays more productive.
Here are the top 10 that came up:
1. Differentiate between home and work
“I try to differentiate between home and work life as much as possible. I want my workspace to ‘feel’ like I am in the office. It puts me in the right mindset, helping me with distractions from either of the two.” – Anthony Tevs, Support Technician
2. Work first, then “home” work
“If you have a routine at home for chores, stick to that. Don’t let things occurring at home, like dishes in the sink and dirty laundry derail you from your workday. It’s easy to get distracted, at home with ‘home’ work.” – Sean Ventura, Chief Information Security Officer
3. Organize and conquer
“Before the end of your workday, set yourself up for success by tidying your workspace physically and digitally, making quick notes, task lists and completing that admin you’ve been putting off in small chunks!” – Emily Bernknopf, Customer Success Coordinator
4. Dedicate a workspace
“Pick a ‘workspace’ preferably something that can be limited to work function and not converted (meaning a card table in the corner would be better than a spot at the kitchen table). When I’m in the workspace, I’m at work.” – Eric Bourassa, Azure Solutions Architect
5. Connect with your team
“I like to check in with my coworkers and staff on a regular basis, daily, as I would when I am in the office. Keeping the conversations going throughout the day (even if it’s water cooler talk), helps with feeling connected during ‘work hours.’” – Ellie Soleymani, Director of Marketing
6. Turn mundane into “me time”
“One of the things that I learned in ‘Life in Captivity’ (Army) training is that boredom can be one of your greatest obstacles. A proven method of dealing with it is to take your time when doing mundane tasks such as personal hygiene, housework, meals, etc.” – Michael Baker, Customer Success Manager
7. Get ready for the day
“Make sure you wake up every day and get ready as though you’re going to leave the house – take a shower, get changed, put on your makeup and go about your day!” – Sheena Bhan-Hawley, Sr. Account Executive
8. Put your best face forward
“Use the video and audio conference features of Teams or other programs to help retain the face to face communications with co-workers. Knowing you have the undivided attention of who you are working with helps reinforce a normal work routine.” – Jacob Wade, Tier 2 Infrastructure Support Administrator
9. Stay “pawsitive”
“Dog breaks – it’s a treat to be home with the pup, so don’t forget to get outside for a few quick walks to take advantage.” – Morgan Bell, Lead Customer Success Manager
10. Keep it cool (literally)
“Make green tea, and then use the tea to make ice cubes. If you use the ice cubes on your face after washing, you really feel extra fresh, alert, and ready to be on video calls!” – Rachel Gomer, Azure Solutions Architect