March 25th 2020

If you're like millions of workers around the Country the CORVID-19 pandemic may have forced you into a new (and hopefully temporary) reality of working from home. Working remotely seems nice in theory, but it is not always easy. There can be a lot of distractions in your home that come up throughout the day. Getting things done in the midst of family, setting up digital meetings, avoiding stir craziness, and excited pets are not always easy — it’s all uncharted territory for many remote workers. Here a few tips to help keep you sane and productive throughout this time.

Self-Care & Organization

• Give yourself time to get situated. Things won’t fall into place right away and that’s okay!
• Take breaks to maintain focus and not get burnt out
• Ergonomics are important! You won’t realize how uncomfortable your dining room chairs are until you force yourself to sit in one for 6-8 hours a day
• Let your family/roommates know where and when you’ll be working to avoid interruptions and misplaced supplies

Working From Home With Kids

• Create a schedule so that they have a chock-full day of activities and ‘to-dos’
• Make a ‘Stoplight Sign’: Red=Busy, Yellow=Okay to interrupt, Green=Come on in!
• If you have a partner, alternate shifts of ‘Work’ and ‘Kid Duty’
• Take breaks! If your children know you’re home all day, they’re going to want to spend some time with you and vice versa. Take some breaks throughout the day to play a game or have a meal together

Working From Home With Your Spouse

• Designate times throughout the day for each of you to use the ‘home office’ space or create two separate areas
• If possible, separate workspaces and living spaces. This way you won’t grow frustrated having to listen to your partner’s conference call during your lunch break!
• Avoid distracting each other by communicating your work responsibilities with each other before the day starts
• Communicate how you would if your partner was actually in the office, by sending a text or email if you know they are currently working!

 The Best Ways to Communicate With Coworkers

• Overcommunicate! This is so important when the usual face-to-face interactions are taken away. Double and triple check-in on your team with phone calls and video chats
• Make yourself accessible by having your phone volume on and checking messages and emails more often than you may be used to
• Keep up with routines. If you usually engage in small-talk before meetings or chat about what you did this weekend, keep it up!
• Create a system for sharing documents so everyone can see what you’re working on

Avoid Going Stir Crazy

• Keep your work schedule the same. Just because you’re working from home, doesn’t mean you need to be on-call 24/7
• Get outside! Stretch your legs and get some fresh air by going on a beach walk, gardening, or just enjoying nature any way you can
• Plan things to look forward to like family game night, trying new recipes, digital book clubs and group video chats with friends
   

Most importantly, try to stay calm and positive! We are all in this together and even though you may not know what’s around the next bend, your physical and mental health are the top priority. So check in on yourself and loved ones, keep up the good hygiene, and stay at home if you can.

P.S. We'd like to give a big shout out and thank you to our brave health care workers, food store employees, delivery drivers, municipal workers and all of the others who are on the front lines keeping us all as safe and healthy as possible. If you know one personally, remember to thank them!