At first it seemed novel. As the pandemic started to spread and more of us were asked to work from home, many of us saw it as either a temporary setback, a slight annoyance, or an overwhelming undertaking that seemed impossible to navigate. However, as the months have moved on and the virus continues to linger, many of us have been living that ‘work-from-home’ life for much longer than any of us anticipated.
What does this mean?
With no real end in sight and with many companies choosing to switch over entirely to WFH (work-from-home) employment, it is important to identify how to not only survive this shift in perspective, but how to thrive in it.
Here are five tips, tricks, and recommendations designed to help you up your productivity, improve your overall experience, and even possibly enjoy this new WFH landscape that so many of us find ourselves in today.
1. Create your Space
Productivity is tremendously impacted by flow, comfort, and simplicity – and frankly, setting your laptop up on your kitchen table just isn’t going to cut it. First and foremost, identify a space in your home that is solely for work. One of the biggest causes of WFH burnout is the feeling that you can never truly walk away from your job. By creating a dedicated workspace, you will be better able to separate work-life from home-life.
2. Get Set-Up Correctly
At home, we don’t have the benefit of an ergonomic expert or high-end office equipment designed to keep us comfortable, safe, and productive. Create a space that is highly productive not only in functionality, but in design. Find the right sized monitor for your desk, get proper lighting, purchase lumbar support or other ergonomic aids to make your experience comfortable, and consider purchasing a whiteboard desk. Aside from being easy to clean and aesthetically pleasing, they make writing notes fun and easy.
3. Use the Best Platforms for your Team
Believe it or not, Zoom is not the only team connecting software on the market today. While Zoom does offer great administrator benefits to its users, it is not always the most effective software to accomplish your work goals. Microsoft Teams also offers a wider variety of options and opportunities for collaboration, while software like Miro, Mural, Slack, Google, and other similar platforms also offer unique idea sharing and goal building metrics that can make work efficient and, dare we say, fun. The key is identifying the right software for your organisation. Personally, I find Miro to be far better than Mural as online white-boarding package. Slack is also great especially when you master integrations with productivity and project management software like Trello and Todoist. However, every organisation is different, and finding the right fit for you is important.
4. Make the Most out of the Technology
After choosing the right platform for your team, it is time to really make the most out of these modern marvels. For Miro or Mural users, take advantage of the easy sticky note options to share ideas, capture electronic whiteboard conversations, and make the most out of the emojis that come standard with these platforms. From clapping hands to reactions, emojis and chats can become a valuable way to show support to your team, something that can often be lacking in digital meetings.
Remember though that less is always more when using online tools. If you are going to run a workshop or planning session that is under four hours reconsider the need to use anything other than the most basic communications platforms. If you are using Zoom remember that you can leave feedback and comments in the group chat and as an administrator download them afterwards. Warning*** Make sure you do this before you end the meeting or you’ll lose the record of conversation forever.
5. Be Patient
These are very odd times, and with no real end in sight, it is important to be patient with yourself and others. Take walks when you need them, be sure to do regular stretching, and connect with your colleagues in whatever way works for your organisation. However you do it, approach every day with patience and kindness for yourself and others.
Working from home can be tough, but with some basic self-care, modern technology, and a positive mindset, WFH can be as productive, rewarding, and innovative as you want it to be.
