As a nation, most of the companies (who are able to), have taken up working from home to practice social distancing.
Prior to my career here at Run Gum, I had actually worked from home for 6 years...and today I want to be able to share with you some of my tips & tricks to stay focused and getting the job at hand completed.
- Stay on Schedule. This means if you normally wake up at 5AM to get to work by 7AM, keep with that routine. Go through the motions of waking up, walking your dog, eating your breakfast, and “going to work”.
- Dress the part. If you are not normally wearing sweatpants to your office, then maybe don’t sit around in sweatpants at home. You will feel more accomplished if you take a shower, do your makeup, brush your teeth, and dress as if you are going to the office.
- Have a designated work space. I want to recommend a desk with a set up; but I also know this cannot be the case for everyone. So have a cleaned off space where you can sit, have your laptop elevated, and do not turn on your TV...seriously; if your in-office cubicle doesn’t have a TV, your at home work space doesn’t need one either.
- Open your blinds. Give yourself plenty of light. Light will keep you energized and ready to go.
- Get Outside. I know maybe this isn’t part of your normal day to day routine while at the office, but when you work from home, it is good to get outdoors and take a walk. This can be 5 min mid morning, 30min at lunch and 5 min mid afternoon. I promise this will break up your day and the sun (or outdoor elements) will help you feel alive again.
- Schedule a Daily Video Check-In with your team. Especially if you’re not one for normally working from home, a daily video check in with your team is always a good way of feeling connected and engaged with your teammates. There are plenty of services out there that offer this for companies; we use Zoom so we can instant message during the day and use the video function for our team meetings or 1:1 meetings.
- Remember to take a break. Seriously, when you work from home you can get in the “roll out of bed and before you know it is 3PM and you haven’t changed yet” routine. I say this because I became guilty of this myself. Drink your coffee, eat your breakfast, take your lunch break...all the things that you would do in a normal work day make sure to incorporate into your work from home office day.
- Work Your Normal Day. I cannot try and stress this enough. If your normal day has a hard cut off time, close your computer and be done for the day. I get right now there is a little more flexibility with everything as kids are home and people are just trying to get by with what they’ve got...but try really hard here to work 7-4, 8-5, 9-6 (or whatever your normal day is). I think we all get in this habit with technology now that we can work anywhere, any time...just make sure you have balance too.
- Get a plant. It may be a little difficult to find one right now, but by having a plant at your desk or in your work space, can reduce stress, increase productivity, and even boost creativity.
- Grab your Run Gum! Ok, again we’re a little biased, right? But who wouldn’t want to get that extra kick of energy boost while you’re sitting at home working. Now is the perfect time to show your manager that even though you’re home, you still work...and Run Gum can give you the boost you need to keep you going throughout the day. ⚡️
So what are you waiting for? Clear that space, and make the best out of these work from home days. Even if you’re cozy on your couch...remember to not dive down the hole of Netflix. Open the blinds and get to work. At the end of the day have trust in yourself, in your teammates, in your leadership….if we all do the job at hand, the job will get done and we will never miss a beat.
Stay Safe & Healthy Everyone!