Well, well! This is going to be interesting for a lot of businesses. COVID-19 is real. It’s happening now and it’s going to challenge us.
As of today, Tuesday 17th March 2020 we, the Social Progress Team will be working from home. For one of our team members, Mel that was always the case anyway. So we’re just transitioning into her world.
This morning we picked up laptops, screens, cables etc and are now all working remotely. It’s nothing new for us as we’ve done this before on snow days. However, we now need to prepare for the long haul. We’re looking at this as ‘cup half full’ rather than ‘cup half empty’. So let’s see what we CAN do rather than what challenges we’re facing.
How will we be able to communicate with you & each other?
We are all still reachable via email, phone and of course social media.
Our office phone sends us a transcribe and voice file of any messages. These go to all office staff so we’ll be able to pick these up and get back to you.
Tips for working from home
Get out of your PJs
It might seem a strange thing to say but it’s important to feel like you’re still working even if not in your usual setting. It’s easy just to put comfy clothes on but it’ll make a difference to how you work. Dress for the job and the job will get done. You clearly don’t need to be sat there in suit & tie or business attire but do feel like you’re dressed to work. This will help you to be in the right frame of mind.
Create a Workspace or Home Office Environment
I used to work from home in a couple of previous roles and never had a problem with it. However, I know plenty of people who did. They struggled to stay focused on the work at hand. Too many distractions. Too many other things to get done. Having a dedicated place to work will help to separate work from home.
Clock the hours
Just as you would when in the office, start at the time you would normally arrive at work and finish when you would normally leave. Treat your home working like you would if you were in the office. Take breaks, stretch your legs, make a brew etc. Have a lunch break away from your desk.
Keep in touch
Communication is the key. Keep in touch with colleagues, clients and your wider networks either by email, social media, WhatsApp or text. We’re all going to find it difficult to self-isolate and ensure we’re social distancing. It’s going to be even harder for those people who live alone. So do remember to touch base with people regularly. It’s a worrying time for all of us. None of us know how our finances are going to fair through this period so let’s all look out for one another as best we can.
Commute to your home workstation
If you’re working from home, obviously you aren’t really commuting. But why not use the time that you usually spend on your commute to do some exercise, or learn something via online training or a webinar. For my fellow BNI members out there why not use this time to put on a BNI U podcast? If you normally listen to the radio in the car on your way to work (like SoPro Rebecca) then why not do something productive around the house whilst listening the same radio station you usually have on whilst you travel to and from work?
News is good but don’t get dragged into it
Whilst we should all be aware of the latest situation, it can sometimes be easy to keep re-visiting the same information. Be disciplined to check regularly. Maybe before you start your day, lunchtime and then once you finish your office hours.
Are you new to working from home or, like SoPro Mel, totally used to it? Do share your own tops tips with us if you have any in addition to the points I’ve written above. Let’s be a community that helps each other through this.