Remote work has become an increasingly popular workplace arrangement in recent years, but flu season and the holiday season of traveling employees may mean that even in-office employees are finding themselves working from home on occasion.
Working from home takes some adjustments whether full-time, seasonally or occasionally, so we’re sharing a few tips to help you through it.
Establish a routine. A routine drive into the office, receptionist greeting, or morning water cooler conversation are some ways that might remind your brain to get into “work mode” each day at the office. When working remote or from home, it is equally as important to set up a routine (no matter how small) to help you transition from leisure time to work time. Whether it’s catching up on the news while you enjoy your first cup of coffee, or turning on your desk lamp as soon as you sit down, a small routine can help you transition into work. Or, the inverse is also true. With all the extra time you have without a commute, you may find yourself setting routines to end your day for a better work-life balance instead!
Try video conferencing for meetings. We’ve all been on the receiving (and likely giving, too) end of a conference call put on mute while someone multi tasks. When you’re in an office sitting face-to-face with someone, the urge to multi task is minimal. Video conferencing for important team or client meetings can help keep the same focus as if you were meeting in person. Plus, it can make you feel more connected to employees that you otherwise might not see while you are out of the office.
Communicate consistently. Working in an office can make a quick check-in on progress as easy as turning your head to your left and asking a coworker about an ETA. When working from home or remote, communication can be more challenging. Set clear expectations on when and how you will communicate with your team members. Whether you create a Google Doc updated daily by 9am with the team’s priorities for the day, or have a 15-minute phone status first thing in the morning, make sure that your team knows when and how you will keep one another updated on progress.
These are just a few tips for making your work from home days a bit better. Have other things that have worked for you? We would love to hear them!