As most of us transition to working from home to help combat the spread of coronavirus, it’s time to reevaluate workspaces and habits to maximize productivity from spaces traditionally used for relaxation.
Whether you have a designated home office, are camped out with roommates in the living room or kitchen table, or set up a temporary space in your bedroom, we’ve compiled a list of helpful tips to help you make the most of your time at home and manage your time wisely.
Here’s a list of best practices to help you find peak productivity out of the office.
Waking up at the same time every day and establishing a morning routine and work schedule can go a long way toward maximizing your productivity. While you may not be applying makeup or getting your computer bag together in the morning, it helps establish a sense of consistency to continue through normal activities such as showering, making coffee and breakfast, and changing clothes before settling in for the day.
While some of us thrive in our sweatpants and it doesn’t dampen our ambition, some people do better dressing for success. While there’s no need to be breaking out a business suit, putting on a business casual top for a video conference or changing into jeans before beginning your day can differentiate time to work from time to relax while at home.
When out of the office, clear communication is more essential than ever before. Did you receive an email from a client asking for information? Acknowledge you received it, then follow up when the item is completed.
Check in with your teammates and managers regularly to make sure you are staying on the most important tasks and staying connected to the team. Utilizing a tool such as Slack, Teams or Skype can give you quick access to send messages and check in regularly and swiftly.
Even though you aren’t in a traditional office space, you can still show your value to your employer. Show up on time if you have set hours, respond to emails swiftly and make sure your presence is still known.
Now more than ever, getting projects done on time, helping team members and being proactive about seeking out work to do during quiet times can help you show your company that you are a vital part of the team who is willing to go the extra mile in times of hardship and change.
If you don’t already have a designated workspace at home, setting one up can be key to settling into a routine and maximizing your time. Find a table or desk to set up your laptop and monitor, keyboards, and any other equipment you may need.
Having an established space to wake up and go to every day will make it feel more normal to be working from home, and will help to keep work separate from home.
Just because we are all out of the office does not mean we need to be disconnected! If you have team meetings, try utilizing a video conferencing system such as Skype, Zoom or Teams to keep everyone in contact and virtually face to face.
It doesn’t all need to be business – with all the stress and uncertainty surrounding current shutdowns, try hosting a virtual team happy hour or coffee break. Ask everyone to grab their favorite beverage and sit down for half an hour to check in on how everyone is holding up and get inspiration for activities to do at home.
When we’re home, we’re often relaxing – watching TV, reading, playing video games or listening to music. Working from home, it’s important to keep a strong line between work time and relaxation time. Keep the TV off until after work, or save it for your lunch break. If music helps you focus, keep it playing!
Making your home office feel like your real office with similar sounds and routines will help normalize working from home and also help establish boundaries between relaxation at home and working at home.