I’ve been working from home since the early 2000s. When I first made the leap from being in an office every day to having a commute across the living room, there were some things I had to get used to and quite a few I didn’t expect.
With so many people now being unexpectedly thrust into working from home for the time being, I thought I’d offer some tips that might make it a bit easier.
Go to work
When you’re working from home, it’s easy to just kind of fall into working each day. I find it helpful to stick to the same routine I had when going into an office: Get up, have coffee, get dressed (even if that means putting on a clean sweats and t-shirt), read the paper, have more coffee, and go to work. Us work-from-homers sometimes joke about working in our pajamas, but doing so really isn’t conducive to productivity (I know because I’ve tried it).
Make a space
Set up an area to serve as your office. Ideally a room (with a door), but if you don’t have that luxury, a designated table—or even a corner of one—will serve the purpose. If you’re in an area with a TV, turn it on only if you need background noise.
Take breaks
Just like you do in the office, take breaks. Take a lunch break, and eat lunch somewhere that’s not the aforementioned office space. Take whatever coffee breaks you would in the office.
Chat with colleagues
In most offices, people chat. Around the watercooler, in the kitchen or halls, or over the cube partitions. While you’re working from home, it can be helpful to mimic this interaction by setting up a chat—on Facebook, Skype, text, or some other chat platform—so you don’t feel so isolated.
Don’t do chores
Don’t try to do the laundry during the work day. It will seriously hinder your ability to get work done. (Again, I know ’cause I’ve tried.) Also, try to avoid scheduling service appointments; they’re hugely disruptive.
Keep your hours
Start work whenever you normally do and stop when you usually do, too. Don’t try to work 24/7. Turn off the computer and leave your office space at 5 or 6 or whenever your office normally shuts down.
Be prepared for technology gremlins
If you’re not normally dependent on your internet connection during the working day, it might have times of being less reliable. Have your service provider’s number programmed into your phone in case you need it. If you’re using videoconferencing, set it up before you need it and test it with a friend; finding the ideal spot might take some moving around. Also, if you don’t usually talk on the phone a lot as part of your job, you’ll probably have to do so more now; if you can get a decent earpiece/microphone (Amazon has loads of them, of course), I’d recommend it.
These are indeed interesting times, and we’re all doing what we can to #flattenthecurve. I’m grateful to the people (and companies) that are shifting to working from home, and I hope it’s not too lonesome for you!
