10 tips for working from home

1. Stick to a routine
Stick to your morning routine. Get up, take a shower, get dressed and maybe even take a short walk before you get to your computer and start your work. Just because we can lay around in our pajamas, doesn’t mean we should.

2. Designate a specific working space 
Don’t make the mistake and work from your bedroom, because very soon you will connect your bedroom with nothing but work. If you connect your bedroom with work, it can ruin your sleeping patterns. Designate a space for work only. If you can, invest in a comfortable chair and of course watch out for ‘tech neck’. Meaning if you can’t use an external screen, at least try to put your laptop on a pile of books to give your neck some rest. Maybe even stand up while on conference calls.

3. Set your intentions and take breaks
It’s always a good time to brush up on your time management skills, especially when working from home. Begin every day by identifying what you need to do that day and how you intend to do it. Block time in your calendar for breaks, if not solely to ensure that you plan your time more realistically, but also to ensure you get time to recharge.

4. Ramp up the communication 
If you normally work in an office, you spend your time in close proximity to our colleagues, which makes it easier to stay in sync. Now with the proximity gone, we need to be mindful to keep those communication lines open. Luckily, today there are tons of tools available to improve our communication, including video calls, instant messages; even digital whiteboards and collaboration programs. And don’t forget, with so much of the communication happening digitally, empathy is more important than ever. Try to remind yourself daily to always assume positive intent, even though you might want to read something else into that latest instant message.

5. Practice self-care 
In times of self-isolation, it’s easy to question the meaning of being productive and happy. For instance, the important of self-care. Maybe you need to carve out time each day for exercise. Maybe you need time for meditation. Or maybe it’s just enough for you to make sure that you take the breaks you planned for. Whether you’re at the office or at home, you should prioritize your physical and mental health.

6. Find out where to work
You may not have a functional home office. Find the best table and chair combination that gives you the best working position. Plan to set-up and tear down your work environment daily. You need a suitable location to go to, without making your family go crazy with permanent offices in multiple locations across your home.

7. Plan your day differently 
Our workdays in the office vary with your profession. For many of us, the most significant change is the temporary elimination of face-to-face meetings. Spend some time to define what is critical and possible to do in this new situation. Meetings that remain vital will be virtual, as the only remaining way to collaborate. Expect to have more time for task-oriented work that you lead and define on your own.

Also, the lunch break is important. A good way to add routine to your day is to plan a lunch menu for the week. Cook something the night before, or get something delivered from a local restaurant if possible in your area.

8. Secure access to broadband and tools  
The real value of double displays, an extra mouse, and robust internet access become more evident when you don’t have them. Your home working foundation will be your smartphone and laptop, complemented with good fixed and mobile broadband connections which are stress-tested. If you are relying on audio-only for your daily conference calls, consider embracing video conferencing. Video can bring back a bit of the lost personal interactions from face-to-face meetings.

9. Stay focused, with a family around you
You might not be home alone. Two adults working from home is a new scenario in most families and home-schooling your children adds to the complexity. A big challenge we all face is how to stay focused in this new environment. Aspire to find focus by taking shifts for home-schooling tasks. Support each other in managing simultaneous virtual meetings. The key to your productivity is to get uninterrupted time for your task-driven work.

10. Experiment and develop your digital skills 
The next weeks will expose your shortcomings when it comes to digital skills. Take this an opportunity to learn a new skill.

Create short videos or podcasts for your customers. Now is an excellent opportunity to push for progress before perfection in new areas.