COVID-19 has set the stage for many of us to work from home. What would seem to be a workplace utopia can quickly devolve into a ball of chaos if you don’t have the right system in place.
Most of us have a designated work area at home, whether it’s an actual office or a kitchen table. Granted, you must have a few factors if you want to get your work done: organization, communication, and routine.
Make Organization a Priority
An excellent way to stay on top of your work game, and stay organized, is to make a daily schedule or list of things to accomplish. Hey, this works wonders in the actual workplace, so why not at home, right?
Make Organization a Priority
It’s also a good idea to pay attention to your work area to ensure it stays neat and tidy. A chaotic work environment makes it hard to concentrate and can lead to avoidable mistakes.
Reliable communication is critical too. Try starting your day off with a teleconference with coworkers. Their faces may not always be smiling, but it’s a good reminder that they’re there for you, and just a WhatsApp or phone call away if you need clarification or help with a task.
Make Organization a Priority
Establishing a routine is also essential. Without office life structure, it’s easy to put in even more hours than in a conventional office setting. Granted, you may have to put in more hours to help keep things running smoothly for your organization, but there comes a time when you need to set parameters.
Don’t forget to establish a routine that leads to some personal fulfillment. It’s so easy to let days slide away from you. Before you know it, you’ve been wearing the same pineapple-print button-down for weeks. Sure, you slip it on a nanosecond before your morning teleconference, but do your coworkers know that?
Many of us have been unexpectedly directed to work from home during this pandemic. Love it or hate it; we all need to take the learning curve in stride and remember that this new work dynamic is not forever.
