4 Essential Tips for Working From Home
As of mid April 2020, about 95% of Americans—or 306 million people—were placed under a stay-at-home order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. All across the world, political and business leaders are asking people to stay put. This means that, in a matter of days, we have been thrown into the largest work-at-home experiment in the history of the world.
Here are four tips for working from home, whether you have been doing this for years or for just a couple weeks.
1. Create a schedule. For now, this is our new normal. And it is important for us to maintain a regular routine. Wake up at the same time every morning, get dressed, show up, and work hard—just as you would when you go into the office.
2. Set boundaries. Unless you live alone, you are sharing your home and your office with other people. You have to be clear about your expectations and respectful of what everyone needs.
3. Create a workspace. For many, this may be the first time you have been working at home instead of an office. You should find a spot in your home you can create into a workspace where you can stay focused and get into work mode. If you don't have a home office, you might need to claim the dining room table or desk in your bedroom.
4. Take breaks. When you work remotely, it's easy to blur the lines between life and work. By scheduling breaks throughout your day, you give yourself something to look forward to or force yourself to slow down and rest. A few ideas on breaks include: Taking a lunch, getting outside, and reading a book.