Working where you live is not as easy as it sounds, especially if you have kiddos asking a million questions or elderly parents who need extra attention. Luckily, Candice Frazer, Senior Vice President of Operations at TTI Success Insights, the world’s leading source for research-based assessments, has a list of ways to avoid crossing over to the dark side of working from home:
WORK ON PROJECTS LIVE: Use video chat! If you would normally get up and walk to the person’s desk or office to have a conversation with them, treat remote work the same. Ping or message the coworker you need to converse with… “Got 5 minutes?” If the answer is yes, use video to have a conversation. It helps keep the connection alive and feels more human!
CREATE A ROUTINE: While there may be many factors beyond your personal control now, including a loss of predictability, you can exert some control and familiarity by sticking to a schedule. “Show up” for your day as you would in the office. This means following your normal morning routine, so get up at the same time, put on makeup if that’s what you regularly do, and get dressed for your working day!
STREAMLINE: Things right now may seem like anything BUT business as usual. However, remember that you have a team. Work with your colleagues to prioritize essential areas of focus and save your energy to tackle extremely important and time sensitive meetings and tasks.
SWEAT IT OUT: From Peloton and MIRROR, to old fashioned jumping jacks, make sure you get your heart pumping at some point during the day. Building muscle can help boost brain power and let’s face it, you’re going to need it to maintain over the long haul.
GET ORGANIZED: Working from home requires a neat space outside of your desk. Prioritize an hour per day to reorganizing the pantry, decluttering the bookshelf or even cleaning out the fridge. An organized home will make you feel more in control in the face of uncertainty.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF: Don’t expect your day to go perfectly. If the kids sneak in a Netflix show while they’re supposed to be doing homework. Big deal! It’s not the end of the world and you’ll have many more days to try and get it right. Give yourself a break and talk to yourself like you would a best friend. You’ll end up feeling much more fulfilled at the end of the day.