With the growing concerns over the coronavirus, many employers have taken the precautionary measure to enable employees to work from home. While this work-from-home structure helps businesses do their part to keep employees safe, it’s a transition period nonetheless — one that can feel smooth to some and shaky to others.
In a time when it’s most important to support one another, we wanted to share some work-from-home tips that will help you stay productive and balanced in your new workspace.
Similar to the layout of desks in an office space, the layout of an at-home workspace should be just as thoughtful of a process. Not only should the area be free of noise and clutter to keep your mind focused, but it should also be a comfortable space where you enjoy spending time.
Creating a dedicated and professional work-from-home space will help you stay more organized and minimize disruptions to productivity. All the while, the peaceful nature of the space will keep your mind at ease.
If you are used to heading into the office, chances are you have an established morning routine. Make your morning coffee. Read the newspaper. Brush your teeth and get dressed. Head out the door by 8 a.m.
Whatever the rhythm may be, this sense of structure can often be lost in a work-from-home environment. Without the pressure of having to leave by a certain time to get to the office, employees tend to start working earlier, whether that’s in the form of reading emails at the breakfast table or carving out a to-do list over coffee.
When working from home, it’s just as important to map out a morning routine — one that does not include work — and stick with it. To start, make it a point to wake up at the same time every day and give yourself enough “me time” before the workday begins. Enjoy a healthy breakfast, read a few pages of your current book or roll out your yoga mat to stretch. Your morning routine should be built around activities that help you feel energized and refreshed.
Maybe it’s a coworker stopping by your desk to ask about your weekend, or heading to the kitchen to brew a fresh cup of coffee and socialize. In an office environment, breaks are naturally built into the workday, helping employees to destress and recharge. At home, these breaks are just as important but require a bit more effort to weave into the work structure.
To avoid a loss of focus or potential burnout, make it a priority to take time away from your desk. After all, these breaks should not only give your mind but also your eyes a rest. Go outside for a walk while you listen to your favorite playlist, or play your own music on an instrument. These brief moments of downtime will help you feel refreshed and productive when you arrive back at your desk.
When you’re used to seeing coworkers on a daily basis in the office, it’s natural to feel a bit lonely when you start working remotely. Without this degree of interaction, employees can feel disconnected from their team and dissatisfied with their solitary state.
The good news is that there are plenty of platforms today that make it easy to get the face time we crave. A group of employees can easily hop on a video call via Google Hangouts to discuss work, or perhaps — as we’ve started to do here at Kuno Creative — connect for a virtual lunch. While chat platforms can be beneficial for connecting with coworkers, there’s something to be said for seeing another face to fill the socialization gap.
Just as you start your work-at-home days with a routine, the same should be true for how you end your workdays. Without any trigger of other coworkers packing up their things to leave, it’s easy for remote workers to get caught up in a long to-do list and lose track of time.
When setting your recurring alarm for weekday mornings, it’s also useful to set a recurring alarm that will trigger the end of your workday. While there may be a few last-minute items to handle after this alarm goes off, it can help get you in the mindset of wrapping up that day’s work and tabling other needs to the next day.
As a marketing agency, Kuno Creative is passionate about providing businesses we believe in with the tools to be successful — from the internal to the external level. Amid this new and changing environment, our goal is to evolve with the businesses we serve.
