Please visit our COVID-19 resources page with more information for business owners and employees.
With the COVID-19 social distancing recommendations and shelter-in-place mandates, many of us have found ourselves in unfamiliar territory: working from home.
Working from home presents its own unique set of benefits and challenges. We can enjoy the “long” commute from our dining room table to our home office, but we may also struggle to focus and fight distractions all day. Regardless, many of us are learning how to telecommute and are looking for guidance. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of working from home!
Use videoconferencing
When working from home, we can miss the camaraderie of the office. Try using videoconferencing to see all the bright, shining faces of your co-workers (and, let’s be honest, their pets) to help reinforce the team spirit you’re used to with in-person meetings. Our teams at Nextep love this strategy!
Follow your normal routine as much as possible
Get dressed for your workday to help increase productivity and help you get in a “work” headspace.
Take breaks
These are built in when you’re in the office — between teammates swinging by your desk to chat and your mid-day visit to the office’s best coffee maker, you’re likely used to having a few breaks scattered throughout your day. Plus, breaks help improve focus and productivity. Experts recommend taking 10-15 minutes here and there to take a walk, grab a healthy snack, or meditate, and then get back to business!
Limit distractions
This may mean moving a desk into a room where you can close the door or putting a sign on your door asking people not to knock or ring the doorbell. Maybe move your desk away from the quarantine snacks or put your phone on “do not disturb” so you can focus. Do what you need to do!
Over-communicate with your team
When working remotely, you can’t swing by your manager’s desk to give a quick update after a meeting or catch your teammate up on a project in the breakroom. Come up with a way to stay in touch with your team and pass along minor progress updates as you work. Maybe schedule a new daily huddle to touch base or create a system to help improve communication while working remotely.
Maintain a work/life balance
Show up to work on time, take your normal lunch break, and when the clock strikes 5… well, chefs, put down your knives, and call it a day. Working from home can blur the lines between work and life even further, so fight to keep healthy boundaries in place. Only work during the workday, and utilize your evenings to relax, spend time with loved ones, and practice self-care.
Our HR experts are here to help! For more COVID-19 help, visit our COVID-19 resources, contact your Nextep HR business partner, or give us a call at 888.811.5150.
