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March 25, 2020
As we face the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home is the new normal for the indefinite future. It can take some getting used to. Here are some tips from StoragePug's Director of Design, who has worked remotely for years.
Get yourself into a going-to-work mindset every morning. For example, have your breakfast and go to your work spot. For example, try dressing in work attire (at least change out of those sweatpants).
Sticking to a routine helps with keeping focus during work hours. Being disciplined about your schedule will help you avoid getting distracted by other stuff that you have to do or get done in at home during the work day.
It’s very easy to be distracted! Keep yourself on track and do whatever you have to manage your time well.
People don’t know what you’re doing or what you need, you need to communicate it all the time.
Have daily Zoom meetings and make Slack your communication channel.
Don’t be afraid of sending a lot of messages, you may feel that’s annoying, but that’s the right way to keep communication clear.
Don't underestimate loneliness. It can sneak up on you any time.
Social distancing is hard most of the time with working remotely, especially now with COVID-19.
Know that everyone is in the same situation and we are here to help.
If you feel bad about that, call a friend or someone on your team to talk or have a virtual coffee break together. It may sound awkward to drink coffee while looking at each other through a computer, but it's actually a gateway to a great time.
You need to keep your mental health in check, overworking yourself can be harder to avoid at home. It’s very easy to sit in a chair without leaving for 10 hours – don’t do that.
You need to have coffee breaks, leisure moments, eat well, and sleep well.
The Pomodoro method is one of many ways to go about structuring your time.
It is essential to have a dedicated space at home that is only for work.
It can be helpful to change scenery for a bit and go work on your couch, but it’s not going to make you more productive.
Some people are not comfortable working from home because it can be distracting and there are no social activities... And that’s fine if you feel like this!
But try to manage your time well, focus to keep a routine and in a few days – you’re going to see that’s possible and works.
Don’t forget to eat well!
When I started to work remotely few years ago I usually forgot to take lunch or coffee breaks because there’s a lot of things to do and well, I don’t have to explain why… it's a n00b move and not healthy!
We will get through COVID-19 together.
Check out this article for more motivation on working from home.