Working from home is not as easy as it sounds. You don’t just sit in front of your computer and start working. Working remotely from home requires a lot of planning and changes at an individual level. For example, if you have been required to work from home, you will need to allocate a room for an office, work around your partner’s and kids’ school schedules, deal with distractions, learn new software, etc. Unless you have a plan, you might not be able to effectively do your job. This article will walk you through effective work-from-home tips to help to make your experience present and execute your job requirements.
Without further ado, the following are from-home tips you can try out.
1. Have a designated office space
Just like your regular office, you will need a space that will replace your office at home. This will be your place designed specifically for work-related activities. It does not have to be an entire room or well-equipped like a corporate office. However, it must have basic functionalities. Here are tips you can use to make sure that your home office is well-prepared and ready to go.
- Clear enough space (have an entire room or part of the room cleared)
- Have a table and a chair that will help you work in harmony
- Install a PC, have an internet connection to it, and adjust your table and chair to your personal preferences
- Make sure that all cables are hidden and will not interrupt you when you are moving back and forth
- Your office will not be complete without notebooks to take notes, pens, and stick notes
- Bring a small shelf in your office that will hold your favorite books or other documents you use for your work
- Have a place to hang your coat when necessary
- Make sure the room can be locked. If not, make a DO NOT INTERRUPT sign that must be up whenever you are working
- Bring in a small stereo for music
- Your room should have an AC or a Heater to help you maintain adequate room temperature for maximum performance
- Add more stuff in your office if you want. Remember to not overcloud your room for uninterrupted mobility.
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2. Work-from-home tips: Set your office hours
Working from home does not mean you are free to do it whenever you want. You are still on the job, and therefore, you must have office hours.
I advise my clients to make their office hours similar to their company’s office hours. This way, you make sure that you are up to date and can answer questions from anyone in the company as soon as they are received. In addition, you can find help easily when facing your difficulties since everyone will be working.
If you choose to work during hours when your company is closed, for example, it would be difficult to find help. Has your computer stopped working? Well, the IT department is closed. So, you must wait until the next office day to get answers. This could cause a lot of delays and frustration on your end and affect your company’s competitiveness.
What if you work for yourself and have no other partners or office hours? In this case, I would advise you to work when your clients are most active. Your clients cannot wait for a long time to get answers. Stay active and make office hours when they(clients) most expected. If you take on clients one by one, use an online scheduling system and take clients when you can.
Golden rule: Make sure your office hours match the company’s hours. This will save you a lot of headaches down the road and everyone will benefit from it.
3. Have access to online conferencing applications approved by your company
Working online means you will most likely conduct all business activities remotely. Your physical office visits will be minimal and other means of communication will be used.
Most people who work from home have like one day when they go to the office for presentations and updates. Others get and provide updates remotely.
Your company should have specified what each remote employee must use to communicate with others. The following are some of the most used systems companies use.
- Zoom
- Google Meets
- Skype
- Video conferencing from Microsoft
- Facebook (messenger)
- Email, etc.
Besides these applications, some companies have their own systems. You must follow your company’s protocols about this matter. Once you know what you need to use, make sure you learn how to use it. If your company allows Zoom, download its app and learn how to use it. You don’t want to practice the app on your first call with the president. At this time, it will be too late.
If you work for yourself, clarify the communication means you use with your clients. Furthermore, be proficient at using it. You don’t want to show a bad impression on your clients.
4. Do not have a tv in your office
Some people choose to have extra entertainment in their offices such as a tv or video game console. I highly recommend not having this extra stuff in your office. Remember, your office is designed only for work-related activities, not entertainment. Anything you put in there that is not supposed to be there will not do you any good.
Things like a TV will increase your distraction and that is a big no-no in an office. You are not there to watch a soccer, basketball, or tennis game. You are there to work. These distractions will take away your office time, affect your job, and probably your family’s time. What will you do if you failed to finish a project that is due the next day because of a game?
You will work a few extra hours trying to finish it. This will affect your family’s dinner time, and quality time, and make you frustrated. Furthermore, your performance on the project will not be as good as it should have been. To avoid all these issues, avoid all entertainment in your home office.
5. Maintain a regular schedule
Just like your office hours, you must maintain a regular schedule when working from home. Your boss will probably tell you the hours you must be available for questions, updates, or presentations. Make sure that you are ready to do what your boss wants you to do at this time.
Take a step further and make your own schedule. For example, you can choose to work 4 days, 10 hours per day, or 5 days 8 hours per day. This schedule must align with what your company recommends and should not affect your personal life. You need to have a schedule and stick to it. This is how you will avoid mixing your own life with your job.
6. Have a morning routine
Working from home is probably the hardest way to work. There are so many destructions at home and some of them must be responded to. For example, if your kids are crying in the other room, I bet you will go and check if they are alright. Although there is nothing wrong with this, it could be difficult if you keep dealing with your kids and work.
The first few months of working from home will be difficult, but with practice, you will find it enjoyable. To make sure that you minimize family-related distractions, dogs, etc., make sure that you have a morning routine. This routine should help you provide answers to questions that could occur during your office hours.
The following are things you can consider doing every morning.
- Make sure that all your children know what do to and not do
- Give them access to everything they need (snacks, water, food, toys, games, etc)
- Have a conversation with them and remind them that you are going to be working, and therefore, they should not interrupt you
- Talk to your babysitter and give her/him access to all resources there will need
- Prepare yourself by working out and do not forget to take a shower
- Put enough water and snacks in your office to avoid a lot of movement. You don’t want to step out of a meeting just to get water.
- Have your daily schedule planned
- Give your kids or anyone at home access to contact you when they have questions.
These tips should help you minimize distractions while working from home.
7. Get the resources you need from your company
In order to work successfully, you must have all resources you need from your company. For example, you might need a fully working computer(s) to keep up with the company’s updates. Or you could need an extra internet router (portable router), in case you travel while working. These routers allow you to continue working even if your own internet shuts down. Treat them like a backup, should problems arise.
8. Have planned breaks and lunchtime
You will need to take breaks. Your breaks should follow what your company allows. That is if the company allows you a 2 fifteen minutes break and a 30 minutes lunch, you should have exactly these breaks and respect them.
Just because none is watching you, it does not give you the right to violate your breaks. How you use your time will be reflected in your performance. Matter of fact, you should work harder when working from home. This is because no one knows how you use your time, and therefore, it is hard to know if you work or not. The only way to evaluate your work habits is through your performance.
If your performance is not on point, it will be easy to conclude that you don’t work. Make sure you work hard and deliver what is needed from you on time.
8. Do not sleep in
As I stated earlier, you must have office hours and a regular schedule in order to successfully work from home. This means you must avoid anything that can affect this habit.
Sleeping is one of many ways people kill their time. They spend a lot of hours in bed and wake up at 11 am. Then, realized that they have lost 40% of office hours and there is no way to bring them back. What follows is a rush to the finishing line. Trying to do an 8 hours job in 3 hours.
You must avoid sleeping in at all costs no matter how badly you want it. This is the only way you will maintain your regular office hours and schedule. The following tips can help you avoid sleeping in.
- Know exactly when you must wake up
- Go to bed early
- Avoid using alcohol, sleeping pills, etc
- Use alarms(set up multiple alarms if you have to)
- Get up whenever you hear the first alarm
- Do not snooze your alarm
- Meditate and workout
- Take a shower after working out
- Eat a breakfast
9. Do not mix your personal and work phones
Some companies will give you a phone that is designed specifically for work-related activities. You must avoid using this phone or other electronics such as computers, tablets, etc. in your personal life. You must treat your job very seriously, and therefore, avoid anything that can downgrade your integrity.
One mistake people make is to use their office phones and computer in their daily lives. Then, end up sending sensitive or inappropriate content to their friends and get caught by their company’s IT systems. The next day, they are filed.
To avoid these issues, make sure you use work-related electronics only when you are working and use them only for work-related activities.
10. Show up to meetings on time and all the time
One of the greatest challenges people face when working from home is conducting successful meetings with their colleagues, bosses, and clients. Technology becomes a big issue all of a sudden. Zoom stops working when they are about to start the meeting. Why is that? The answer is simple: Lack of preparation.
People do not value time. They think they have enough time and realize that they have not practiced how to use these applications. They show up at the last minute. Furthermore, people underestimate what it takes to conduct a successful online meeting. This leads to frustration, stress, and poor performance.
Set up your equipment and make sure they work appropriately. Then, show up on time. If there is a problem with the application, fix it before the meeting or at least inform the other party that you are having trouble with the equipment. This way, they can give you assistance, help you fix it with the IT department, or reschedule the meeting for a later date.
Remember, this will work only if it is done before the meeting. Not after. When you prepare yourself ahead of time and run into trouble, your boss will not blame you. But if you show up late and say you are having trouble, the whole team will automatically blame you.
Tip: If you want to win, learn how to play and respect the rules of the game.
11. Practicing is one of the most effective tips to work from home
Just like any other new work environment, you will be starting from zero. The systems, software, and equipment may not work, and working from home comes with its own challenges.
For this reason, you must practice everything you will be using. Some of the problems you will struggle with include but are not limited to creating a plan and sticking to it, working while people around you are playing, respecting the time and your schedule, etc.
To overcome these challenges, you must practice. Keep trying until you make it. If getting up in the morning is becoming more difficult, set up different alarms and watch your progress. If you are having trouble with new computer software, ask your IT department or anyone who can help.
12. Buy comfortable furniture
You will probably not have the same furniture you are used to at your work. Without proper adjustment, It could be difficult to do your job. So, make sure that you get yourself furniture that is comfortable enough for you to fulfill your duties. You will achieve more working from home if you can comfortably do your job with minimal stress both in your body and your mind.
13. Keep up with your co-workers
You probably worked in an office for a while before you start working remotely. There is a community you have created at your company’s office. Working from home does not have to end the relationships you have spent many years creating.
One of the best ways to have peace while working from home is to keep up with your friends at the company’s office. These people are like your assistants. They will help you navigate complex situations. Keep them close and chat with them regularly.
14. Socialize
It is not easy to work from home. You can sometimes feel like you are in an open prison. You get up in the morning, fix breakfast, take a shower, and then start working (Monday -Friday). The only people you see are your family members and nobody else. The weekend is the time you spend with your family without interruptions.
This kind of life can work for a few months but you can’t go on like this for years. You need to meet other people and keep your social life alive.
To balance your stress level from work with your social life, pick a few evenings that are dedicated to having fun. You can either have people come over or go to their places. This way you will be fulfilling your duties but also keeping up with your social life at the same time.
15. Keep contact with people who can help you
Depending on the nature of your job, things can stay easy or get ugly. Since you have no idea what to expect down the road, it is always a good idea to have important contacts of people who can help you.
These contacts include the people who can directly assist you with IT problems and those who can help you with a specific project you will be working on. Always remember that no matter how smart you are, you will still need help.
16. Have a reliable internet
The Internet is everything when it comes to working from home. You cannot submit your work without the internet. You cannot conduct business without the Internet. Having internet is not enough. You need to have fast and reliable internet. If your internet is not fast enough, your meetings will be interrupted and some files will not be submitted. Invest in high-quality internet if you don’t want to anger your boss, coworkers, or your clients.
