As our days of work from home are getting extended, it is good to review the space in which we work remotely. It´s easy to lose track of our current tasks at home. And certainly, also many stimuli disturb us. Many of us must devote ourselves to our children and pets, while others are lurking at home various pitfalls and temptations such as TV, movies, social networks – we all tend to procrastinate even more at home. So how make our home office work easier, more effective, and enjoyable at the same time? Read the tips and enjoy our home office survival guide.
Tip #1. Set up your workspace
Simply imagine your standard workstation in your office and try to create it with all the equipment in your home. Create a quiet corner in your house where you feel good and can work undisturbed and concentrate. Try to minimize all the excitement, such as TV, radio, pets, etc. Have all the necessary documents ready for your work, so that nothing forces you to run. As well as all the necessary equipment. Do not forget the charges for all devices. Running around the house and searching would distract your attention.
Here are the basics of what you’ll need to work from home in a professional way:
- Desk
- Ergonomic desk chair
- Plants, art, or other inspiring and calming elements
- Strong Wi-Fi connection
- Adequate lighting (natural if possible)
- Notepad & ens for jotting down quick thoughts
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Calendar
- Organization system
Making the adjustment to working from anywhere if you’ve previously worked primarily in an office environment can be a big change. It takes motivation, strategy, and support from your manager and organization to succeed in working independently and creating your own schedule. Environment plays a crucial role, so, start by creating the “office” environment that boosts your productivity and creativity.
Tip #2. Communicate often
Our rhythm changes with online work. Normally, we leave our homes at about the same time and are available to colleagues/clients in the office and meetings virtually all day. They know when and where to reach out to us. But with remote work communications may become the biggest challenge and, thus, it is even more critical to make them clear, comprehensive, and adaptive.
The key is to communicate your daily/weekly schedule to your co-workers so that they know when to reach out to you. You may also share your daily schedule, so that they are aware when you are not available, or when you are working on a specific project and better not to be distracted.
There are three crucial elements of effective remote work communications:
Right channel mix
One of the key elements of remote work communications is technology. Our options today to connect with the team are almost unlimited. We just should choose the right mix in relation to the specific needs of our company and needs. There are several basic needs, such as chat apps (MS Teams, Slack, WhatsApp), collaboration platforms (MS One Drive, Google Drive, SharePoint), and conferencing tools enabling also screen online sharing, broadcasting, and face-2-face meetings (MS Teams, Zoom, Facebook).
Remote work communication plan
The current situation is teaching us that planning is critical. Unlike in an office setting, we cannot just peek our heads out of our office to announce something that is important. We are talking about colleagues that are miles apart who might be on different time schedules. Others might be focused on their work and unable to review their company chats and social media. So, it is important more than ever to plan things ahead of time.
Open lines of communication and get feedback
Two-way communication is always valuable! What we need to do is set up avenues for feedback. While email might seem appealing, we are better off with channels that allow us to respond just as quickly. When our colleagues see that their feedback is being read and—more importantly—responded to, it starts to build a culture of feedback that will help us all improve our remote work engagement.
Communication is the key!
Tip #3. Maintain healthy boundaries
These days we all seem to have a different life pace compared with the pre-virus epoch. The boundaries between work and life are invisible and without the normal daily routine it can be harder to unplug.
There are few tips to set-up healthy work-life boundaries:
Separate your physical and mental space
Optimal remote workers have a dedicated office or area in their home to work. If you have such space, then only place work-related items there. Clear the rest out.
Set and stick to a routine
As a remote worker, you no longer must endure the traditional commute to the office in your car or on public transportation. However, it is very important that you still simulate a start and end to your workday (start – prepare – eliminate).
Make time for yourself
As you make progress in setting boundaries with your work time, it is just as important to set boundaries in your personal life. Making time for yourself means with yourself only. Of course, it’s important to spend time with family and friends, but carving out just a half-hour of time if possible, in your day for your own hobby or relaxation will do wonders for your well-being.
And do not forget! It is highly important to stay hydrated, prepare yourself every day a lovely lunch, and enjoy it. Or plan a nice short walk in the middle of your working day which will not only give your body and mind the most needed break but will also boost your work efficiency afterward!
We hope you enjoyed our Home Office Survival Guide, keep on going, you’re doing great!
Yours, Prodensa Group in Europe
About Prodensa
We are experts in manufacturing solutions. We pride ourselves in a shared clarity of mind and a multidisciplinary approach for reaching the correct strategic decisions to whatever situation our clients invite us to collaborate in.
From start up and shelter operations to consulting and advisory insights, market intelligence, and execution of complex projects across the world, we offer the right mix of team experts, know-how, and local skills to solve even the most demanding tasks. We can be your strategic partner for your manufacturing project in Mexico and North America. With boots on the ground on manufacturing footprint, we provide end-to-end solutions and successful results.