Reimagine Learning
A Few Considerations for Remote Work
- Stick to a Schedule
- Set a firm work schedule.
- Use your calendar more rigorously than you are used to. Block chunks of time on your calendar for specific tasks, and perform your tasks during the schedule to which you have committed.
- This includes coffee/lunch/snack breaks. Set a reminder for yourself and use your break as an award for accomplishing what you set out to do during your time block.
- Don’t forget to take your breaks. There are times when I realize that I have been sitting for hours on end and have forgotten to move. Being isolated can promote stagnation. Get up and stretch. Walk around the room. Schedule this on your calendar as a reward break.
- Don’t get distracted by the rest of your life!
- Try to create a work space away from those distraction.
- You might be saying to yourself, “But I could multitask and get those household chores done right now and my work…” It is easy to get sucked into these distractions! But when you work from home, you have responsibilities to your team, peers, managers, and clients. The best way to manage your distractions is to keep a list during the day of all of the household distractions that you are tempted to do but should not do during regular business hours. Write it down so you don’t forget. Acknowledging these chores exist will help you set the distraction aside for the day without returning to the thought again and again throughout the day. Then tackle these things either before or after the end of your business day.
- If you have to handle a personal chore/errand, tell your manager and block your calendar so no one goes looking for you.
- Communication/Social Interaction
- Working from home can be isolating, but tools like Chime/Zoom/Teams can help. Use video conferencing to have face-to-face interaction with you peers.
- If you are going to use video conferencing, remember your environment. Your home office set up needs to reflect your commitment to your job. If you are inviting others into your home, your space should be clean and tidy. It reflects you as both an individual and an employee the minute you showcase your space during work hours.
- Remember, just because you love your pets does not mean your clients want to see them in a video meeting. Pets are still distractions, and your clients want to see how committed you are to them. If your client has a pet in their video chat, it’s a great way for you to share that you have one too. Don’t bring your pet into the video meeting unless your client asks you to have a doggy or kitty or lizard play date (I’m only half joking about this).
- If you have roommates, set up ground rules for work hours, especially if you have conflicting schedules.
- Share social interaction via your live chat with your team. Pictures of dogs/kitties/your morning breakfast can lift spirits.
If there is any way I can help let me know! We at SecondAvenue Learning have a decentralized team and want to do all we can to support continuity in education and workflow. Find me on LinkedIn Meagan French.
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