The outbreak of COVID-19 across the globe has dominated the headlines for the last month, forcing many companies to close, or to ask its workforce to work from home. For many, this may be a completely new experience. To help you out, here are five ways to help make working from home easier.

Transitioning from a traditional office setting to working from home isn’t easy. Some companies have issues allowing their employees remote access due to infrastructure and IT challenges. As someone who’s worked from my home almost exclusively for the last three years, I can tell you that it does take some adjustment. The good news is though that there are lots of ways that we can make this transition easier!

1. Create a dedicated workspace.

   Let’s face it, working from home can be incredibly distracting. There’s’ laundry to be done, chores to finish and projects that need to be completed, all while you’re trying to concentrate on learning a new way to work. This is why it’s important to have a dedicated workspace. Having a work environment that serves too many purposes is not only distracting but can drastically reduce your productivity. A dedicated workspace can be anywhere from a room in your home, to a space that you use for work purposes ONLY. Set up a temporary desk in your kitchen if you have to, but make sure that when you’re in that space you’re focused on work tasks only. Having a dedicated space in which to do work not only helps you concentrate on the work that needs to be completed, but can also help you block out some of the other distractions that naturally happen in your home. Typically I have a personal office that I use to get work done (it’s not fancy, just another room in my house that’s dedicated to working and content creation). For the time being though, I’m having to use the same room that serves as our bedroom while our new house is being built. This isn’t the most efficient setup as I’m easily distracted from my work by other household chores and goings-on, but it’ll work in a pinch.

2. Invest in a quality pair of headphones.

   Now, this tip is something that I use even when I am in a typical office situation. I feel that music (or sometimes even just using the noise-canceling feature with nothing playing) is incredibly useful in drowning out distractions and focusing on the task at hand. My personal favorites are the Beats Studio Headphones and the Jabra Elite 75t in-ear headphones. Both have great noise-canceling features and help keep me on task, instead of being distracted by other conversations (or my dogs snoring loudly on the bed behind me). A good pair of headphones will also help you get through the upcoming conference calls, video meetings, and more that you’ll be joining now that you’re working remotely. Whether you want to listen to music or just silence the noise of your household or office, a good set of headphones is the most valuable tool I can recommend.

3. Develop a routine.

   Human beings are creatures of habit. We’re comforted by routine. Routine helps us get a handle on the day, set our intentions and stay productive. Developing a daily routine will also help get you out of the mindset of “being at home” and into the mindset of “being at work”.

   Here’s an example of my daily routine:

   5:30-6am - Wake up and do ten minutes of meditation. Think about my goals for the day.

   6 am - Take the dogs on a 20 minutes walk around the neighborhood

   6:30 am - Yoga and stretching to help get my mind and body moving for the day

   7 am - Feed the dogs, feed myself and make coffee

   7-8 am - Read the news, a book, or do some writing

   8 am -12 pm - Start the workday

   12 pm - 1 pm - Take a break to either go to the gym or go for a walk with the dogs around the neighborhood. Eat lunch.

   1 pm - 4 pm - Conference calls, meetings and video conferences (most of my team is on the West Coast)

   4 pm - End of the workday wrap up. Deal with any emails that need to be responded to before the next day, wrap up any writings, etc.

Learning how to set up my day was one of the biggest enhancements to my productivity while working from home. Having a routine to follow each day lets me set my mind and body in a good direction and without it I feel lost or unproductive. The reality is that you’re going to have days when you just can’t get much done, but as long as we can set ourselves up to be successful on most days, then we’re heading in a good direction.

4. Get up and get moving

For some reason, we as Americans are afraid to take breaks. We’re afraid of the judgment that comes with leaving our desk and seeming like we’re lazy or unproductive. The truth is though that frequent, small breaks and movement make you more productive and creative. We can think of our ability to focus like a gas tank, the longer you focus, the less gas you have in the tank. But we can always stop and refuel, meaning that by taking a short break, we can stop, refuel our mind, and then get back to it with fresh eyes and renewed energy. You can accomplish this simply by getting up and taking a short walk, doing some stretching, or even simply just mindlessly browsing or reading for a few minutes (just don’t get lost in the internet rabbit hole).

5. Learn how to use your company’s social and meeting tools.

I can’t even count how many people I’ve worked with who have no idea how to leverage their companies internal social networking and video conferencing tools. I believe though that this says more about how large companies onboard their employees, and the value (or lack of) that they place on video conferencing vs. in-person meetings as well as social connection. The majority of all meetings that I’ve been involved with can likely be accomplished just as smoothly and effectively with video conferencing software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams as it can in-person (this also means that no one has to potentially come into contact with someone who’s contracted COVID-19, seasonal flu, or any other nasty bug floating around). If you haven’t taken the time to truly learn how to use these tools to the fullest extent, then now is a great time!

Social networking tools can help the isolation of work from home feel less daunting because you can interact and engage with people from all over your company. Large or small, these networks help us find information faster, learn from each other, and understand who the people within our company are. We can share opinions, information, and have conversations across the company. While this will not ever replace human interaction, it can provide a really nice way to engage with others, build community, and stay productive during a time of crisis. These platforms are also specifically designed to provide flexible working options (for say when you have a global pandemic, or just need to have your hours or location be more flexible). Make use of them, learn them, and master them. It’ll make your job and communication much easier than just relying on email!

Have a work from home tip that you want to share? Leave a comment below!