Tips and Resources for Working from Home

As most of the country continues to stay home, many of us are still struggling to find a new normal. Part of that new normal is working from home. If you haven’t mastered the art of working where you live, don’t fret. It’s a huge adjustment! Check out our list of tips and resources for successfully working from home:

1. Get dressed.

Fight the temptation to stay in your pajamas all day. We know it’s hard! You don’t have to dress as formally as you would if you were going into the office, but it’s important to get ready for the day—shower, brush your hair, put on makeup, and change into something presentable. The act of getting dressed is a signal that it’s time to be productive, and you never know, you may end up needing to hop on a last-minute video call!

2. Draw a line between work and home life.

Many people report that they feel more burned out when they work from home compared to when they worked in an office. Often, this is because they have not created a sufficient work-life balance. You can avoid burn out by drawing a line between work and home life from the beginning.

Designate a physical, separate workspace.

Create a dedicated office space in your home. If possible, choose an area with a door, so that you can leave the room and close the door, both when you are and when you are not working.

Clearly define your working hours.

If you are constantly on-call—reading and responding to work emails, answering the phone, checking in on projects, etc.—you will quickly burn out. Set specific work hours so that your coworkers and family members know when you will and will not be working. Focus on work during work hours and your family, friends and personal well-being during “off” hours.

3. Revamp your commute.

Your commute doesn’t just take you to and from work every day. It serves another purpose, as well: mentally preparing yourself for work and home. Try replacing your commute with a similar activity to transition in and out of work.

Here are a few ideas:

Take your dog for a walk.
Work out.
Listen to music, the radio, or a podcast.
Read the newspaper or a book.
Drink your coffee on the porch.
Call a friend or family member.
Do a crossword puzzle.

4. Plan out meals and snacks.

By now, you’ve probably seen all of the scary-true memes about the “Quarantine 15.” Don’t waste time grazing your kitchen or making lunch and snacks during the day. Plan out all of your meals and prep them ahead of time so that workdays are more productive. Your boss and your waistline will thank you!

5. Socialize.

Humans are social creatures. We thrive on chats by the water cooler, lunch with our coworkers, and office-wide meetings and activities. Working from home takes that natural social interaction away from us and often leads to employees feeling isolated, bored and lonely. Foster camaraderie virtually by hosting weekly video calls with individual coworkers, departments, and offices. Start off the calls by checking in with each other, empathizing with struggles and offering advice.

Looking for another idea to socialize? Host a virtual lunch with your coworkers! Jump on Zoom or FaceTime and chat while you eat your lunch, just like you’re back in the office or at your favorite lunch spot!

Resources for Working from Home

Do you want to learn more about working from home successfully? Check out our list of resources: