Due to Covid-19, working from home has become part of almost everyone's weekly routine. Whether you're in the office only part-time or working completely remote, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and become less productive compared to being in the office with your colleagues only a cubicle over.
With that said, we have put together a guide to help you be successful while working remotely.
On the bright side, you don’t have to spend an hour in the car or on a train commuting to work in the morning. Use this time to knock out a chore. Or better yet, take a walk outside and get some fresh air. Remember to keep at least six feet away from others while outside for safety.
Shower and get dressed in the morning like you would for a normal workday. This will help you feel refreshed and focused on the tasks at hand.
When will work begin? When does it end? This may be a little different for folks with various responsibilities such as kids or being a caretaker. Try your best to stick to this new schedule.
There have been studies to prove working in your PJs while in bed can hurt your sleeping habits. Plus, you want to remove any temptation to crawl back into bed during the day!
Working from home while the kids are in the house isn’t going to be easy. To help them better understand, have a talk with them and even ask them to make you a “Do Not Disturb” sign for your door. That way, they have some hands-on activity with the lesson.
Most don’t have the luxury of a quiet house to work in. Use headphones to help you focus. Headphones also allow you to be a low distraction to others who may be working or studying.
It’s okay to take breaks. While working in the office, we usually walk around, chat with co-workers, and attend many meetings. Try to follow the rule of working for 30 minutes straight, and then taking a break to walk around the house or stretch. This will help you focus all day!
Show your face as much as possible. Use FaceTime, Uber Conference, and RingCentral to connect with your colleagues. Check in with your managers regularly to make sure you’re on the same page. Create a new text or Slack channel to stay in touch with your office peeps.
Create your to-do list and your to-don’t list. Take inventory of those things you’re not going to do during the day that will derail you from getting your work done.
Are you used to catching up with colleges over a beer or glass of wine at the end of a busy workday? Set up Virtual Happy Hours so you are still connecting with your friends!
Setting healthy boundaries is difficult! But the more you practice, the better you’ll get. Having calm conversations with others will aid the mission of keeping our loved ones safe during this pandemic.
This time is full of many adjustments, changes, and opportunities for boundary-setting. Even though this is an incredibly difficult time, we are fortunate to have each other here at Payroc. We do believe we will get through this and things will get back to normal eventually. For now, we will work and Roc-out from home!