7 Tips for Working From Home
Many companies have asked or suggested that their employees work from home during this time of social distancing. Because of this, many of us are faced with working from home for the first time, or far more than normal. And while this situation certainly has its perks, it also comes with challenges. To help companies and employees navigate this unique situation many of us find ourselves in, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite tips to help make this transition a little easier!
Create a Routine for Getting in the Work Mindset: Some experts suggest creating a commute simulation in the morning to help you get into the right mindset for work. Morning routines can incorporate anything from meditation to taking extra time to enjoy a latte, or taking a walk/run to mentally prepare for your day. What is important is having activities/habits that once completed, make you feel like you are ready to work. At Hive, we take this one step further and check in every morning via a video conference. We use Zoom to start our morning, see each other, and set our agendas for the day.
Set a Schedule: This is important not only because it helps you better communicate with your colleagues and team members, but also because it will set you up to complete all of your work in a timely manner. Plus, having a schedule can help you maintain a work-life balance by making clear your working hours and off hours. If you have a schedule from previous in-office hours, like 9 to 5, it can be helpful to stick to that time frame during your time working from home.
Dress for Success: For many people, getting dressed and ready for the day (rather than staying in pajamas) can help with productivity by putting them in a professional mindset. In addition, if you are going to have video calls with clients and colleagues, you want to look presentable.
Have a Designated Work Area: Having a quiet office/room in which you can close a door on the rest of the world/house is preferable. However, this is not always feasible. If you need to create a workspace, look for a part of your home with low traffic where you are least likely to be interrupted. Noise canceling headphones are a great alternative to not having a quiet room in which to work. In addition, having a desk or table to work on tends to better foster productivity compared to staying in your bed or working from the couch.
Communicate Well: Hours may need to be flexible with childcare and other factors when working from home. In addition, your colleagues can’t just pop by your desk to ask a question or check in about a project. So, it is crucial to be communicating well and often with your team so that they know when they can reach you, as well as the status of projects and work. This can be done through emails or other messaging services. At Hive, we use a messaging app called Slack, which allows us to indicate whether we are “in the office” or away. Slack also helps us communicate regularly without infiltrating our email inboxes.
Give Yourself Breaks: Just like you would take breaks at your job - stopping to talk to your colleagues or to enjoy your lunch - it is important to make time for breaks when working at home. Take the time to make yourself a healthy lunch, enjoy a walk outside or play with your kids/pets for a few minutes. Breaks give your brain time to recharge and are important in any work setting.
Embrace the Positives: There are benefits to working from home, and you should allow yourself to enjoy them during this shift in your normal work life. Whether that means letting your dogs/cats hang out with you in the office, taking breaks to spend time with your children, thinking about projects in your garden, recharging with walks through your neighborhood or taking the time to make healthy meals and snacks, be sure to make the most out of this situation by embracing all the happiness it can bring to your work day.
Have you found other useful ways to stay productive while working from home? Send them to us! We hope to share more helpful tips and insights during the coming weeks. You can also find our list of helpful technologies for working remotely here.
