Issue 2, 2020

1. 

   Designate a work space. Make sure it’s clutter-free and used only for work purposes, if possible. Keep children and animals out of this area and make sure it is well lit and quiet. A desk lamp (this one is reasonably priced) can help cast light on your desk where the house lighting might be lacking.
2. Determine your PC needs. Will you use a laptop? A docking station? Will you need additional monitors to effectively accomplish your tasks? Think about what will make you successful in an adverse situation (because you are in one) and don’t be afraid to ask your supervisor to approve your solution or help you come up with one.
3. Supplies. Make sure you arrange to checkout or take home with permission, the items you normally use at your work office so that you have as close to the same set up in both places. This creates a sense of familiarity. Don’t forget the basics like a stapler, sticky notes, highlighters, and other things you take advantage of having at your fingertips at work but don’t always assume you’ll need every day.
4. Make sure you are set up to communicate. If you are using your cell phone to do business, make sure your home office is in an area that gets the best coverage. We recommend using a landline where possible since it always provides the most professional and clear-sounding communications. A cellular phone will work in a pinch and for other instances that aren’t as important. A good headset is also key. If you need help getting your home office communications in place, please give us a call - we're here to help you make this transition smooth and successful.
5. Be accessible. Your home office should operate the same as your work office does and your co-workers, vendors, colleagues, etc. should be able to contact you in almost the same fashion as they always have. We have found that Microsoft Teams is a good fit for our office, and we don’t hesitate to pick up the phone to make sure that paperwork X made it to person B. Texting can become cumbersome and unprofessional, so save those messages for just the quick notes.

6. 

   Determine how you will measure your productivity. Are you in sales and already have measures in place? Great! But sometimes it’s difficult to tell if you are getting anything done or just spinning your wheels. Identify your tasks with your supervisor and check in regularly to demonstrate you are being a productive and good employee.
7. Plan your day, week, and month. For some, you may need to even look at a bigger picture. Use a planner that works for you, either written or online, and re-identify your long-term goals, short-term goals, and then weekly goals. Break down your weekly goals into tasks and assign them realistic time to each day. Sprinkle in phone calls to break up the monotony, and always be prepared for impromptu Zoom meetings (yes, that means actually getting ready each day) which brings us to tip #8.
8. Keep your daily routine normal. Wake up at a similar time, shower, have coffee, walk the dog – do all the things you used to do. This will help you to mentally “stay in the game.”
9. Coordinate with your new “coworkers.” If your spouse is working from home, then you have a new officemate - aren’t they so cute! They can quickly lose their appeal, though, if you find you are both battling for the stapler or “air time” – when both of you have an important call or Zoom meeting at the same time. Take the time each day or at the first of the week to review your schedules and sort out any conflicts you have ahead of time. If your spouse has a sensitive call at 10:30 a.m., maybe plan to take your lunch early that day or use that time to pick up supplies or run errands. But definitely communicate – this will help ensure you and your new officemate can each “go home” happy to your spouses at the end of the day.
10. Do a good job and then do a better one. At the end of the day, you want to be proud of the work you are doing for your employer. Make sure you are at minimum doing your best, but don’t be afraid to go above and beyond on your own. Being innovative, streamlining procedures to fit the new norm, and getting out of the box are always good ways to make great impressions with your team and demonstrate how valuable you are to the organization.

Transitioning from the office to WFH isn't easy, and it takes plenty of discipline. Like many of you, several of us have suddenly found ourselves acting as a grade-school teacher, and adding stay-at-home-kids to the mix has definitely been a challenge for us. Hopefully the adjustment time for this new curveball will be short and we’ll all be working peacefully in our new environment. In the meantime, take care and feel free to share with us what works for you! If you're having difficulties getting set up for telecommuting, give us a call - 800.775.6682 or 870.453.8800 - and we'll help find a solution for your phone and Internet needs. After all, we’re all in this together, right?