As the new realities of social distancing and working from home set in, we’re spending more time in our homes than ever before. Luckily our team at Monica + Andy HQ has weighed in on their top tips and tricks for making working from home work for you — from dealing with distractions to curating a functional schedule for yourself.
Stay tuned for a part II where our team weighs in on their tips + tricks to juggling WFH and little ones. Hang in there mama, we’re in this together!
The Space Game
Set aside a space that is yours and yours alone to work. Even if you normally sit near your co-workers in an office, it can be hard to secure a quiet space when everyone is cooped up at home. Creating your own space to work can help alleviate distractions from the TV, kids or other people. Make your space comfortable and organize everything you need to work efficiently.
Give Me a Break
When you’re at an office, it’s natural to take a break. You grab a coffee with a coworker or take a meeting over lunch. When you’re working from home, it’s crucial to be more intentional about taking breaks. If it’s helpful, set break reminders on your calendar. Stand up, go outside, pause and play with your kids — even for a few minutes. We still need fresh air, sunshine and interaction every day.
Keeping Up with Call Times
Communicating with coworkers in an office environment is relatively effortless, but keeping up that communication on a virtual level can be difficult. If you’re working on a project with your team, try calling each other and leaving the phone on speaker so you can ask questions and provide updates in real time versus mass amounts of emails. Alternatively, try a zoom conference call–it’s the closest thing to sitting around the same table.
Don’t Forget the Chit-Chat
When you’re in an office, it’s natural to socialize with coworkers in between meetings. At home, you hop on and off the call leaving little room for social connection. Make it a point to take a few minutes before or after meetings to chat about something other than work. Slack also is a good avenue for that connection.
Time is of the Essence
Maintain set times for when you’re working and when you’re off. It’s easy for work to bleed into your personal life if you don’t set some limits. When you are off, spend time with your family and reach out to friends and loved ones.
Find Your Flow
When working from home, you don’t necessarily have a signal to start your day if you just roll out of bed and into your office chair. Try working out first thing in the morning–it’s a great way to get moving and it forces you to change and get dressed for the day. It’s easy to get into a rut of snacking all day when you’re home. You’ll feel much better if you take even just 15 minutes to disconnect and eat a substantial meal. Along with diet and exercise, sleep is one of the most essential functions. Be sure to get enough snooze time. Together these healthy habits will help you maintain your moods and provide you with much needed physical and emotional energy.
The Great Outdoors
When you commute to an office, need to run out for lunch or grab coffee with a coworker, you’re getting fresh air. Until you work from home, you don’t realize that those outside runs take effort. It’s essential to schedule breaks in your day to get outside, whether it’s for a walk around the block, to go grab coffee or taking a walking call. A breath of fresh air does wonders for productivity!
