With the coronavirus outbreak, people are participating in social distancing and non-essential businesses are closing to stop the potential spread of the disease.
Because of this, many employees have been thrust into working from home—or WFH, as it’s recently been coined and hashtagged.
This can be an incredibly difficult transition for people who are used to going into a designated workplace, so to help manage the craziness, we’ve put together six tips on how to effectively #WFH and not feel like you’re in The Shining.
Create a workspace
If you have a home office, you’re in luck! If not, it’s time to get creative. Clean off that desk, table, or flat surface and set up equipment that you’d typically use in the office, like your laptop, mouse, second monitor, planner, or anything else that is vital to your success—making sure you also have a comfy chair with back support. Your room isn’t the ideal place to set up camp, but as long as your workspace is in a relatively quiet environment, you should be good! If you live with other people, give them the heads up that you will be in this space working.
Set up office hours
If you’re used to working set hours, like the traditional 9 am to 5 pm, set up a similar time frame to sit down, get your head in the game, and get to business. One of the hardest things about working from home though is knowing when to stop—oftentimes, people spend more time working at home than at the office since there’s very little disconnection. So, don’t just set these hours, stick to them. You’ll thank yourself later (when you’re watching Netflix)!
Get up and dress like you’re going to work
Arguably one of the best parts of the weekend is the lack of obligation to wear real clothes at home. However, wearing PJs while you WFH can blur the lines between working and not working. If you feel ready to tackle your duties regardless of what you’re wearing, by all means, wear a robe and slippers! If you’re having trouble staying motivated, however, get up and follow your normal work routine (though a maybe a little later since there’s no commute) and attire, and yes, remote workers specifically say, this includes shoes.
Communicate like crazy
A downside to working from home is that you can’t just walk over to your teammate’s desk and ask when they’ll have that report done—everything is digital now. Since your normal communication channels might have changed, it’s important to your check in with colleagues to update them on projects and to reply to other coworkers as soon as you can. There are so many ways to communicate, whether it be video conferences, a messaging software, or even good old-fashioned phone calls, so pick whichever method works best for you and your teammates.
“Staying organized, transparent, and continuing with Facetime meetings helps a team to stay together and move forward. Fortunately, at CSS our technology is so advanced that this has been a seamless transition,” says Sharon Tsao, CMO, Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
Casually communicating with your coworkers is also important—and something you’ll definitely feel is missing if you talk to them regularly. Teams or Slack are great tools to keep in touch. Many coworkers are even hosting virtual happy hours after work!
Move around
Just because you’re at work, that doesn’t mean you have to work every minute of your office hours (sorry bosses!). Throughout your normal workday, you probably get up and walk around quite a bit, whether it’s to the restroom, to speak with a coworker, or grab a coffee or snack from the break room. When you’re feeling antsy or have been sitting too long, get up and move around. Getting fresh air can be even more beneficial, so maybe even take your dog for a walk or go on a quick run.
Take care of yourself
We’re currently living in some pretty crazy times, times that will definitely be talked about in history books. While you do need to know how to create a work life balance and be productive in a way you’re not used to, you also have to take care of yourself. If you’re freaked out over the pandemic, you’re not alone, but all you can do is keep keeping on. Try to relax and stay calm by doing some self-care, whether that be taking a bath, doing a face mask, reading a book, watching movies, doing some at-home work outs, or partaking in other hobbies you enjoy. And, of course, if you’re not feeling well, seek medical help and get tested for COVID-19.
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Contemporary Staffing connects job seekers to hiring managers nationally in the following professions: Accounting & Finance, Call Center & Office, Human Resources, IT, Salesforce, and Sales & Marketing.