This month, a reader board in Garden City, Idaho reminds us to be: “Be Prepared, not panicked”
As people begin working at home, it’s time to offer some ideas for staying happy, sane, and upbeat. Added days and weeks to school and college spring breaks will make the house noisy, just as you begin working from the dining room table or spare room.
Thank goodness for technologies that allow many of us to work from home. Consider however, our neighbors and friends for whom working at home is not going to be an option: restaurant workers and barista’s; teachers; and more.
Back to the tips for working productively from your new home office:
- Get up earlier and work in the quiet hours of your household.
- If you are a night-owl, use evening quiet time to be productive.
- Designate a room or space that is clearly your “I am working space, don’t bother me.” Make clear to family members that when you are at/in that space you are working and not to be disturbed. And then, don’t let yourself get disturbed.
- Schedule breaks for yourself that include meal-time, 30 minutes with your kids or spouse, a load of laundry, or a 30 minute walk – weather permitting. Try a music/dance break for 10 minutes with your family members – laugh, smile, be silly.
- Express gratitude for electricity, heat, food to eat, and the internet! Without these, being home, let alone working at home would be very challenging indeed.
- After working hours, be present with your family members. They are stressing out too.
We can get through this challenging time. Just last night my teen said: “let’s eat the food that will go bad first and save the canned goods.” I said: “that is exactly the right strategy.”
What are your co-workers and family members strategizing about? What tips do you have for working at home?
Workplace: Managing the moments of our day-to-day business lives takes work. Together, let’s explore what issues and activities affect us every day (or some days) that we go to work. – Jana