So you’ve always wondered what it would be like to work from home…
When my partner and I started Meritage Events in 2005, we wanted to bring high-end and high-touch service to the corporate event and destination management world but before we could do that, we had to determine HOW we’d work. The first item up for consideration was whether we’d secure office space or simply work from home. After weighing pros and cons and ultimately deciding not to pass on any unnecessary costs to our clients, we set off to produce show stopping experiences from the comfort of our homes.
Now, as the vast majority of the population have been suddenly thrust into their new roles as “CEO of the Sofa,” many people are struggling with productivity. How can we balance our day-to-day office responsibilities with wrangling kids, managing laundry, and staying (generally) sane? You’ve doubtless learned that a laptop and WiFi connection are not enough to make #WFH actually WORK. As the co-owner of US based live + virtual event agency, that produces and executes full scale events around the globe, I happen to know the secrets of a good plan. So! in the spirit of productivity, here are some quick tips on how to become more productive from your home office or to navigate this entirely new world!
CARVE OUT A DESIGNATED WORK AREA
Decide what area will be your “official work area” and treat it as a sacred space. It can be corner of the kitchen table, a small desk near a window or an entire room but the cardinal rules of creating an at-home work sanctuary are as follows:
Make sure that you have all the resources you need in or near this area. Monitors, printers, cameras, notepads, dongles…you get it.
Set boundaries: No kiddos allowed between 2pm and 4pm, no spouses allowed before coffee, whatever you need to establish to ensure peak productivity and family dynamics stay in-tact.
Limit Distraction: We’ll address this again later but omitting a T.V. or setting your notifications to “silent” can allow you to achieve a real workflow!
That said, if it’s nice outside, enjoy sending some emails from the porch once in awhile! The goal is to keep a set space in your home (and your mind) for work with flexibility enough for “reality.” This alone can be a big step toward maintaining true work/life balance.
TIME BLOCKING
As our team grew and my responsibilities with it, I found that establishing time for tasks in my day (and adding it to my calendar) helped me protect my time and optimize productivity. By carving out key blocks for the most important tasks, you ensure deadlines are met and projects are completed on time. It also helps with projection on timelines and, honestly, when you simply have to say “no” to things. I also recently read about a new term on one of my favorite blog sites, Create & Cultivate, I had not heard about before: “Time Batching.” This is a take on the time blocking concept where you approach your week like a single day. You assign a concentrated goal to each day then break down the steps in time block form to work toward that goal.
SHOW UP READY
Changing clothes, fixing your hair, brushing your teeth; it’s best to greet the day the same way you would if you were going to be “in public.” In fact, studies have shown, individuals who dress and prepare for the day perform better! It’s also an excellent self-esteem boost when you’re the most put-together person on the Zoom call.
A PERSONAL ROUTINE
When you go into the office for work, your morning routine is what gets your gears turning. It’s precious time when we’re showering or catching up on the headlines over lunch that give us consistency in chaos. Perhaps you have a moment of morning meditation, an endorphin-releasing workout or the two-minutes of quiet while you pop a coffee pod into the Keurig. Maintaining a routine will help shape your mental focus for the day!
MAKE “YOU” TIME, AVOID BURNOUT
As a self-aware work-o-holic, this particular practice is something I have to do mindfully. For some it simply means closing the ol’ laptop, for others it means physically leaving the work area. Whether you need to snooze notifications or keep your phone out completely out of reach at night, take some time to reflect on what your biggest distractions are and how best to remove them. For me, it means making time for a workout each morning (no matter what) and putting my phone away when I am getting my daughter ready for bed.
There are also times of the day when we feel our most focused, capitalize on that time! Make a list each morning. Do the things you want to do least, first. Make sure you’re giving 100% during your peak hours. Not only will this make the day fly by but you will likely end up with some added downtime to run a guilt-free personal errand during work hours.
So many individuals have the opportunity to work remotely for the first time during this crisis and we hope implementing these tips and tricks will help ease the transition. Bonus, you may also find you’re much more efficient #WFH and find new ways to increase productivity when you’re back in the office. In the meantime, embrace the added time you get back from no daily commute!
- Tacy