Stay sane while working from home

So it looks like you will be working from home for a while. This is going to come as a challenge to those of you used to an office environment, so I thought I’d try to help. I have been working from home for 19 years. I started before husband, before children, when I was single and living alone in a condo in downtown Toronto, so I’m familiar with all the different situations you may be facing in the coming weeks.

I will go through the differences of each situation, but there are a few things everyone should do

1-     Make sure your computer set up is as good as it can be. Try to install yourself in an area that doesn’t have to be disturbed for meals if possible. Then you don’t have to keep putting everything away and lose track of where you are at. Clutter is the enemy.

2-     Make a list of the things you are going to accomplish today and cross them off as you go. You aren’t going to be interrupted by people in your office or unplanned meetings, so you will be surprised how much you can do!

3-     Finish breakfast, clear it away. Plan your snacks and lunch ahead of time. You are probably used to the foodcourt, but now it’s all on you. By planning what you are going to eat, you stop yourself from grazing all day, and trust me, you want to stay away from that well stocked fridge.

4-     Set yourself timers. Work for an hour, then take a break. Just a few minutes to check your email, text a friend. Human connection of any sort makes the difference between being on your own, and being lonely

5-     At some point try to go for a walk. Get outside, or do some stretches. Reach out to people. You are not alone.

6-     Have I mentioned stay away from the fridge?

Are you home alone?

It is daunting to sit down to the quiet. Just remind yourself that you are not alone, because the entire world is full of people doing the same thing. You will be surprised at how effective you can be in a lot less time, if you set yourself up right from the beginning.

1-     Setting timelines for yourself is important, so you can focus when you need to

2-     Don’t be afraid to contact co-workers to run ideas past them- just as you would in the office

3-     Don’t have more coffee than you usually do!

This is going to be hardest on you, HomeAlone. But you can do this.

Leading a team from home?

I’ve been doing this for years, and the key is communication. Everyone has their own struggles, but start the week with a conference call, and encourage your team to chat.

1-     Text each other to check in. Sometimes it’s just to say- “I’m taking a break- be back in 30 minutes” Just to let them know it’s ok to get up and move around. Be chatty. They are all struggling to some degree

2-     Call each other – group chats, or individual calls- depends on your style… but I usually talk to each member of my team on their own every other day, and I work with a team that is accustomed to working from home. You may need to do this more right now. We all work better when we feel connected

3-     Set goals and timelines and hold everyone to it

Working from home with the family around?

I could write a book on this one. Structure, boundaries, schedule, timelines… Set them all up today. You have to do it from the very beginning or it won’t take.

Toddlers?

Yeah, this is a tough one. Little guys don’t understand about quiet and conference calls. I don’t even have advice here except that you just make it work. And don’t worry about screen time. These are exceptional days and their brains won’t literally rot. Take extra breaks and when you are with them, be VERY with them. Put work away and just play. And hopefully you can take turns with a partner so you each have some undistracted time.

Don't be afraid to let the people you work with know about this situation. You aren't a super hero, and everyone should be understanding of the very real challenges you are facing.

Homeschooling?

1-     Everyone needs their space, so figure out a spot for each person and keep to it

2-     In the morning, we are going to make lunches- just like they are going to school. They will have snacks and lunch and you won’t have to get too involved

3-     They need recess and breaks too. Take those breaks as a family so the kitchen doesn’t always have people grazing through. Putting the whole family on the same schedule for breaks allows you some together time and then you don’t feel guilty claiming the time you need to concentrate

4-     My plan is to set my guys up, and work for an hour. Then 30 minutes to check that they are on track, then back to me again. That's the plan. Fingers crossed!

5-     Take a time out. At some point take a break alone- I need my quiet time and everyone knows it, so when I disappear for 30 minutes to recharge, they have been instructed to leave me alone

6-     Coordinate conference calls- especially if your partner will also be on the phone quite a bit. If you both have a call at the same time, I guarantee that is when a household emergency will happen!

Do you have any other suggestions? Add them below! Just remember, be kind to each other. Be more patient than you have ever been before. And reach out to people- although we are apart, we are more together than we have ever been, because we are all struggling.

There are definitely going to be some growing pains as we adjust to this new work-life balance but it's really important to get organized right from the beginning. It will make everything smoother in the coming weeks.

And stay away from the fridge.