I\u2019m an old hand at working from home since I\u2019ve been \u201cremotely located\u201d since 1999. Let me give you some tips on the subject. Here are my Top 10 Tips for Working from Home:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are just now experiencing the joys of working from home, you may not have a good workspace. My advice: make one. If you have a separate room available, claim it as your office and set up a desk, an office chair, and WiFi. The kitchen table may serve for a couple of hours but cannot work for all-day\/everyday use. A separate room will help immensely with some of the other tips on this list as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s very tempting to jump straight out of bed, grab a cup of coffee, and turn on the computer. My advice: don\u2019t. Use the same routine that you use when you go to the office. Plan your day, talk with your family, make coffee, take a shower, get dressed, whatever else you do before you normally leave home. When you get to the home office, try to maintain the same hours that you do when going to the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the years, I\u2019ve got a lot of grief from my office-bound colleagues. \u201cShirking from home eh? (wink, nod)\u201d \u201cWish I had a \u2018job\u2019 like yours.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s often a sentiment that working from home means not working. In truth, just the opposite is true. This study<\/a> indicates that home workers are more <\/em>productive than office-bound workers. Why? In my experience, there are far fewer distractions. But in the current situation, even many of us seasoned remote workers have \u201cextra coworkers\u201d who are unexpectedly at home and need to be attended to. So figure out a schedule that works for you, where you are responsive, consistent, and transparent. If you are trying to balance childcare and conference calls, for example, schedule a routine block of time for the kids to do online learning courses and try to cluster meetings during that block. If you need to save independent project work for the evenings after the kids are in bed, schedule it in \u2013 leave the \u201coffice\u201d at a consistent time and log back in at a consistent time to wrap up. Of course, clear any schedule changes with your boss (and communicate them to your teams and household members as well). <\/p>\n\n\n\n This one is extremely important, and I must remind myself of\nthis on a constant basis. Schedule time on your calendar to get up, stretch,\nleave the office area. Don\u2019t eat your lunch in front of your screen. Get some\nfresh air. Take advantage of online exercise options. Your mind (and body) will\nthank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can seem very lonely when you work from home. I tend to forget that I\u2019m not the only one responsible for getting things done. I sometimes try to tackle team projects by myself, or make decisions alone that are best done with teamwork. It\u2019s better to develop a draft, then meet with appropriate team members to discuss better solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let others know what you\u2019re doing, and not just at\nevaluation time. By keeping a regular conversation going with your supervisor\nand team, you are getting \u201cmindshare\u201d and won\u2019t be forgotten. If you manage\nothers, try to build in opportunities to share what they\u2019re working on outside\nof immediate stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it\u2019s a stand-up desk, or swivel chair with arms,\nmake sure you can work comfortably. Nothing saps concentration like a kink in\nyour neck because of poor posture from sitting in lopsided chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Working from home can be lonely, as you miss the daily water cooler chats. Set reminders to have regular chats with coworkers but DO NOT DISCUSS BUSINESS during these informal chats. Build in time for team socialization at the beginning or end of meetings, and schedule voice calls in additional to emails. If you have a webcam and your corporate bandwidth supports it, use it for meetings whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you leave the office, leave the office<\/strong>. Keep work time as work time and off time as off time. While this is easier said than done, having \u201cdisconnected\u201d times of family bonding will help you ease stress and maintain necessary boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In these times, it\u2019s inevitable that meetings will be interrupted by small voices, pets, and other unexpected intrusions. Be understanding, compassionate, and above all, try to laugh a little as we all try to get stuff done during uncertain times. If you need a smile, check out this collection of pets who are suddenly dealing with their owners working from home<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Take Breaks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Consult with Others<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Toot Your Horn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. Invest in Quality Home Office Equipment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Maintain Social Links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
9. Shut Down at the End of the Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
10. Laugh a Little<\/h2>\n\n\n\n