May 25, 2020: Question Series #20
Written By: Marc Moskowitz
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I’ve been working from home in some fashion or another long before the COVID-19 crisis started, so the recent transition to 100% wasn’t a big shock for me. However, as much as everyone dreams of working from home 100% of the time, I have to say, I don’t want to do it forever. There is something about going to an office now and again, meeting people in person, and feeling like you’ve made genuine connections and progress. I’m also going stir-crazy not being able to go anywhere…I can’t wait to go and grab a nice meal at a local restaurant or kick back and relax with a beer at one of the many new micro-pubs near my home.
Personal stories aside, I wanted to share with all of my Question Series followers, my best tips for making a sudden Work From Home scenario not just livable but productive. This includes making it livable for your families, too. I know that all of you will have some great tips, so please share them in comments below. I will put out a version 2.0 with the best ones. Let’s get to it.
The list below includes my top tips for working from home on a regular basis:
- Create your own space, even if you don’t have a dedicated office: Everyone’s home is different. Those of us with dedicated offices (and doors) have this one nailed down, but a lot of people aren’t that lucky. If you are someone who doesn’t have a dedicated office, you should designate somewhere in your home/apartment as your office. Let your family know where it is and have them respect the space. It goes a long way in focusing on your work and keeping organized. Expert tip: Make sure you have a comfortable chair and your desk setup is as ergonomically correct as possible. There is an abundance of information and options online to help you out (Mayo Clinic).
- If you don’t like to be tethered to your desk for hours at a time, invest in a high-quality, Bluetooth headset: This is a must! I’m specific about high-quality because there is always someone having issue with their audio on just about every meeting. Don’t let that be you. A good unit with a mini boom and a noise-cancelling microphone will make you sound like a rock star!
- Make sure to block out calendar time to get up and walk around (preferably outside): We forget that many of us do a considerable amount of walking when we’re at or on the way to the office. This is not only good for the brain, but good for our waist and posture, as well. Not getting up in between all day calls is a killer…literally. Just do it!
- Set timeframes around your working time versus your personal time: It’s easy to work too much when you’re at home. The days blend together and there is no commute, so you wind up checking email at all hours of the day. You tell yourself it’s just for five minutes, and an hour later your family has eaten dinner or watched that movie without you. I suggest physically turning off your computer or monitor so it’s not as tempting.
- Set aside time for lunch and exercise: I’ve recently found that there are no longer time boundaries for scheduling over lunch or dinner times. It’s become fashionable now with COVID. People expect you to be at your desk 24/7. Make appointments with yourself on your work calendar to block out time for lunch and exercise, and decline or reschedule meetings that interfere with that time.
- Create your own gym until you can get back to your regular one: Related to the point above, ensure you get your normal amount of exercise. It not only keeps you fit and trim, but it will reduce your stress with all of the craziness that is 2020. It doesn’t take a lot of space or money to do the basics. My office now doubles as my gym, and it cost me less than $200. It’s not LA Fitness, but it’ll tide me over until I feel comfortable going back to the mothership.
- If you don’t already have a super-fast internet connection, get one. You should also have a backup plan (via a cellphone) in case your connection goes down. It doesn’t cost an exorbitant amount anymore to get a 100MB connection. Just do it! You and your family will thank me later, as will your productivity. This point is not optional for anyone with a professional office job. You are expected to be connected during the day, without issues, including videoconferencing when required.
- Train your family: I can see you all smiling, smirking, laughing, and giving me that singular hand digit in disbelief at this tip. However, I’m 100% serious. We all have pets, or kids, or that crazy spouse that makes too much noise. Everyone’s situation is different, especially during these times. However, do the best you that you can and avoid making these disturbances a routine thing. Over the last month I’ve already heard some crazy things happen on live meetings. It’s simple to have a talk with your family, or change up the pet routines where possible, to reduce the interruptions and distractions. The bottom line is we are all still professionals and we should stay that way. Things will happen and that is more than OK. My tip is to try and reduce the amount of times you have to apologize or mute yourself in the middle of talking.
- Use your old commute time to learn something new: Many of us are no longer driving to the office or travelling on a regular basis. That gives us extra time to do any number of things. One of those things should be to learn something new. All of us should be constant learners, and there is so much great content online now that it’s easy to do. Pick a topic, pick a certification, or chose to network with new people, but use this extra time wisely, instead of just working too many hours.
What are your working from home tips during these unprecedented times? Please comment below and share with your colleagues.
Thanks for reading!
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