With the recent developments on the widespread COVID-19 virus, businesses, governments, and even schools have had to enforce social distancing and begun implementing remote-based work systems to avoid the spread of the virus amongst colleagues. Although remote days are a common perk at thousands of companies in 2020, the majority of businesses in America operate traditionally and still have employees work from the company's physical office/location.
Despite the growing popularity of remote-based jobs, it can feel like uncharted territory for a lot of employees and employers, especially when the transition has to be done rapidly due to a crisis. Having to work remotely can be quite challenging due to distractions such as kids, pets, or even chores. We have become accustomed to working in an environment where the necessary resources are provided and our team members are near by for collaboration and socialization. The shift from workplace to home can have an impact on your productivity so here are a couple of tips to help you maximize your efficiency when working from home.
1. Set Up Channels of Communication For Your Team
Having effective tools for communication is key to business continuing to run smoothly. Communicating through a group chat, or even a daily/weekly conference call, can be a helpful reminder of the company's goals during this time of crisis. It can also help ease some of the boredom, as isolation can be psychologically taxing for some. There are tools such as Microsoft Teams or Slack that allow you and your team members to collaborate within group chats. Microsoft Teams can even integrate with other Microsoft softwares such as OneDrive, Excel, and Sharepoint, allowing you to easily share documents and spreadsheets with anyone on your team. With the proper software in place, you will not miss a beat!
2. Create a Space for Optimal Focus
Working from home takes a lot of discipline and focus. You can make things easier for yourself if you try to emulate your original workspace. But first, GET OUT OF BED! Your bed is not a proper alternative for your desk. Our brains associate our beds with rest and relaxation, making it very difficult to get work done. Take all of your necessary equipment over to a desk or a dining room table and make yourself comfortable during your work hours. Make sure that your at-home workspace is neat to help keep your mind clear and focused on the days' tasks. If you have children, family members, or roommates, make them aware of your need for some quiet time. If you have pets, place them in a separate room. If you cannot manage to keep everyone quiet, throw on some headphones and find a classical playlist to keep you in a zone. It's all about creating the perfect environment to stimulate your focus.
3. Get Dressed!
I know you're cozy, but get out of those pajamas if you want to get things done. You do not have to throw on a suit and tie but it's proven that changing into something other than the clothes you woke up in can help take your mind from relaxation mode and into work mode, even if your desk is just 10 feet away now.
4. Create a Daily To-Do List
Just as you do in your regular office, drafting up a to-do list can help you keep organized and identify priorities. Project management tools such as Trello, "a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards." can make your life oh so simple. In one glance, Trello tells you what's being worked on, who's working on what, and where something is in a process.
5. Schedule Your Day
Schedule your day the same way you would if you were at your regular office. Keep the routine going by setting a start, break, and end time for your work. Avoid being tempted to clean up around the house or watch your favorite show during the time you should be focused on work. One of the benefits of working from home is that, well, you're already home! You have the ability to do what you'd like on your lunch break or immediately before or after work. You can spend that time reading a book, practicing yoga, or even spend time with your kids. The lack of commute always allows you to get started on non-work related tasks as soon as your shift is over. But do make sure that you create a schedule including the times you plan on working to help keep yourself accountable.
During a time of emergency, having to unexpectedly transition your employees to work remotely can be challenging and not all companies are set up to operate effectively. Working remotely is do-able for both employers and employees thanks to the technology and software we are lucky to have in this day and age. In fact, if you are wanting to quickly transition your employees over to remote work, Kavaliro’s Technology Services team is here to assist! Our team offers several all-in-one options for chat, video and voice meetings, collaboration, including MFA, SSO to keep your teams securely connected. Please reach out to our lead on this, Kevin Drinan, to discuss interim options or email KoreSales@kavaliro.com