Over the last few months, much of the world has been reeling from the health and economic impacts of the Covid-19 virus. Here in North America, our journey with coronavirus is only just beginning. Businesses lucky enough to make the shift to virtual working environments have been forced to do so rapidly—leaving some employees scrambling to adjust. For some of you, working from home might be new. Here at Substrate Studios, we have been working remotely since 2013. We wanted to share some tips and tricks that might help you adjust. 1. Get out of your PJs As a potential newcomer to the remote working world, you may currently be revelling in the joys of being in your jammies whilst on a conference call. But, after you do your first work day in your PJs, give it a rest. The simple function of changing out of sleeping clothes and into anything else (even if it’s sweatpants and a hoodie) can help prepare you mentally for the day ahead. Taking this tangible step is a demonstration of self-discipline —and, without the prying eyes of a boss or co-workers to keep you in check, you’re going to need to show restraint. Of course, the benefit of working remotely is that you can be comfortable and place less emphasis on preparing the perfect work outfit and putting your face on for work. While you can dial-down the personal grooming to some extent, don’t get carried away. Because, my friend, it is a slippery slope. 2. Create a routine One of the biggest challenges when working from home is mindset and shifting from “home mode” to “work mode.” Sometimes, you can yo-yo between the two throughout the day as home-life distractions interfere. The laundry buzzes, the kids are causing a ruckus, your partner interrupts you with a question while you’re deep in thought, and the dog needs to pee. Creating a routine can help you set some boundaries, both with yourself and your family or roommates. 3. Designate a working area in your house When you work from an office, you can physically leave your work behind each day. But, that’s not so easy when you work from home. During these challenging times—with some people confined to their homes for long periods of time—it is important for mental health and wellbeing to have a separation of work and home life. Ideally, you have a spare bedroom or a den in your home that can be used as a workspace. However, even if you live in a small, 450-square-foot apartment, carve out a little corner and use this space exclusively for work. Train yourself to acknowledge that when the work laptop closes for the day, it is time to transition back into “home life.” This way, your work doesn’t spill into your bedroom, your kitchen, your living room and beyond. 4. Expect technology to fail you Although video conferencing software like Skype and Zoom have been around for years now, the fact of the matter is that they are still imperfect tools. As more people lean on video conferencing software, they will have the expectations that it will work seamlessly, and that’s unfortunately just not the case. One-part technology failure and two-parts human error are to blame. Expect that at least 60% of the time, your video conferencing meetings will be delayed by at least 10 minutes due to someone having issues with sound, video or dial-in codes. Video is amazing for building rapport, sharing visuals and collaborating, but sometimes a plain old tele-conference is easier, faster and more efficient. Choose wisely. Also, you know how sometimes quick hallway chats or popping over to someone’s desk can help solve an issue quickly and effectively? It’s the same virtually. Just pick up the phone. Sending 10 emails back and forth to clarify an issue can lead to miscommunications left, right and centre. When possible, pick up the phone and chat it through. You’ll save yourself time in the long-run. 5. Get really good at steering conference calls Chairing an in-person meeting takes skill. Chairing a conference call takes sheer wizardry. Who’s making coffee in the background and needs to go on mute? Who’s accidentally on mute? Who’s dominating the conversation? Who’s off-topic? Who’s late to the meeting? Who’s answering emails and doing other work when they should be listening to this call? Learn how to keep conversations on track by creating an agenda and sticking to it. Don’t be afraid to interrupt people who have taken the conversation out of scope. Use people’s names often to keep them focused and ask questions directed to specific people on the call, engaging them in the conversation. 6. Find your audio groove Without the familiar buzz of office life and spirited cubicle banter, you may find working remotely to be a little too quiet. Stimulate your mind in other ways by finding music or podcasts that help you focus, feel connected with the world, and maintain your emotional wellbeing. Or better yet, create a Spotify playlist and share with your colleagues so you can all jam in unison. 7. Treat yo’self It can sometimes be hard to stay on track whilst solo-officing as you’re relying on your own ability to concentrate for long periods of time. Set your timer for an hour to work solidly, then treat yourself with a short break. Build little incentives into your day, such as a fizzy water break from your Sodastream, an afternoon tea time, or cuddles with your pupper. Get a short physical break with a walk around your house (or around the block, if social distancing allows). Also, with so many gyms and yoga studios offering free online classes, you could also take a short exercise break. 8. Get the tools First, set your work space up to be as ergonomically correct as possible. Hopefully your workplace has existing virtual tools available. However, if not, Join.me and Zoom are cheap and cheerful video conferencing tools that can be deployed quickly. Slack is an excellent collaboration tool, which offers file sharing, chat, and direct messaging functions. 9. Seek social interaction Working from home can be isolating on a good day. With the current situation, many of us are self isolating or social distancing nearly all day long, and may be feeling anxious or lonely. Seek out social interaction as best you can. In normal circumstances, that would look like setting up coffee dates, in-person business meetings or working from a co-working space. Right now, you can set up a FaceTime coffee break with a peer, colleague or friend; try a virtual event hosted by your local networking group; or enjoy short interlude on one of the Facebook Groups that have formed to give people solace during this difficult time. Stay tuned to your network to look for options. There are many uncertainties right now, and working from home may be the new norm for the foreseeable future. Together, let’s stay connected (and sane) as we navigate our new realities together.
