TIPS FOR WORKING FROM HOME

Working from home has its pros and cons; many people feel more productive and say they get more done, both their job responsibilities and chores around the house. The key is setting yourself up for success.

LOOK PROFESSIONAL

Nobody expects you to wear a suit and tie when you work from home, but you should still do your best to look presentable. Comb your hair, shave and wear a clean shirt. Most days, a T-shirt will do just fine. But if you have a big call with a customer, throw on a polo in a neutral color like black, white or navy. Company branded polos and sweatshirts are a great choice, if you have them, as they help display the company name or logo on your video calls. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you’d wear it to the office on casual Friday. If the answer is no, find something else to wear.

STICK TO A SCHEDULE

One of the great things about working from home is that you can squeeze in some extra sleep, since you don’t have to wake up as early to commute to the office. But having your home and office be one and the same can have its drawbacks. It’s easier than ever to keep working past your normal office hours. Set a schedule and stick to it. Start your day when you normally would and vow to end it at a certain time. Hold yourself accountable by setting an alarm on your phone or asking your roommate or spouse to remind you it’s time to log off. And when you log off, really do it. Shut your laptop, put it away and take some time to relax and recharge.

CREATE YOUR WORKSPACE

You can help keep yourself to a schedule and maintain some work-life balance by creating a space that is free from distractions and is only for work. If you have one, a home office or spare bedroom with a desk is perfect. But it’s okay to work at the kitchen counter or dining room table, too. The key is to set up an area that will allow you to get your work done without being hassled by the kids, hearing the dog barking when it sees a squirrel outside, or the temptation to put on your new favorite show and binge while you work. Avoid the couch at all costs!

BACKGROUNDS MATTER

Chances are, you haven’t given much thought to what’s behind you when you work. But when you jump on a video conference call, your background matters. Many video conferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have features that blur your background or let you pick something fun, like a beach scene. Though novelty backgrounds are great for a virtual happy hour with friends, we recommend staying away from them when you’re on a work call. Instead, blur your background. If that’s not an option, work from a space with a neutral background. Solid-colored walls with a few pictures hanging on them are perfect. If you must work from your kitchen, make sure the area behind you is clean and tidy.

VIDEO CALLS

Video calls and meetings have become the new normal. As we mentioned above, you should dress appropriately, work from a space with a neutral background and avoid potential distractions. But what about the calls themselves? Set some basic ground rules. Request that participants remain muted if they are not speaking. This will ensure that background noises like kids yelling or dogs barking do not disrupt your meeting. If you’re leading an all-staff meeting, set it up as a webinar. This will allow you to automatically mute everyone on the call and avoid hearing other people’s background noise. Many conference call tools have a chat feature and make it easy to unmute participants if they have questions. Also consider the security of the call. If using a public conferencing solution such as Zoom, add a password and waiting room to your meeting, to make sure only those you want in the call can access it.

BE UNDERSTANDING

Go easy on yourself and others. This is an uncertain time for everyone, and many people are facing realities they never would have had to otherwise. Be compassionate and understand that we are all doing our best.