Your Guide on How to Work from Home

COVID-19 (coronavirus) has changed the course of work, and possibly changed it forever. As coronavirus cases continue to increase day after day, companies have mandated employees to work from home online in order to flatten the curve. 

For many, this is the first time working from home online. When you first start working from home, it can seem like a dream. No long commutes, no noisy coworkers, no freezing cold temperatures and of course being safe from coughing bystanders. When you’re working from home, you are in control of your work environment. You can work where and how you want to be the most productive. So, if you’re more comfortable working in an 80 degree space, turn up that thermostat. Need a little background noise to get focused? Then turn on some good jams to get your through your next assignment. I think you get the picture, that by working from home you can create your ideal work environment. 

The Challenges

There are hundreds of benefits to working from home. However, we would be remiss to not mention some of the challenges it poses as well. With so many employees around the world working from home online for the first time, these challenges are hitting very close to home. In order to keep your work from home environment a dream, employees need to address these challenges sooner rather than later. We have some great tips on how to work from home and face some of these challenges head on. 

Combating Loneliness

Working from home day after day can get lonely. Not having the normal social interactions that a typical office environment provides can often make the day seem longer than it actually is. And ultimately leave you feeling down. That feeling of loneliness is compounded by social distancing. Now some employees are feeling that isolation across every part of their lives, they can’t go into the office and can’t meet up with friends. The good news is that you can still virtually meet with video conferencing technology. 

Schedule video meetings throughout your day to connect with coworkers. You don’t have to be in the same room to get that social aspect of the office. Host team wellness meetings, lunch meetings or even happy hours. Sometimes just doing something at the same time as someone else helps create a feeling of belongingness. 

You can also use free video and web conferencing to connect with family and friends even after work is over. Social distancing is taking its toll on just about everyone, but when you take advantage of tools like GlobalMeet Collaboration, it can help make you feel more connected with the people in your life. 

Working at Home with Kids

Millions of parents are thinking how can I work from home with kids in the house. We’re not going to lie, it’s challenging even in the best of circumstances. Sadly, we’re not living in the best of times right now. With kids and teens homeschooling trying to finish out the school year, many parents are finding the balance between teaching their kids and working from home online to be extremely challenging. 

First, we want you to know that it’s ok if you’re not 100% nailing this homeschooling and work from home situation we’ve landed in. During these times, it’s important that we are all patient regardless if you have kids or not. Finding the balance between helping your kids succeed and getting your work done can be tough, but it is possible. 

If you’re able to share homeschooling responsibilities with your partner, create a schedule to split the homeschooling efforts equally. When you’re not tackling homeschooling with your kids, be sure to find a quiet place in your home where you can get work done. You might need to get creative here. But we promise finding a place away from the distractions of homeschooling and your kids will be helpful. 

Achieving Work Life Balance

Now that everyone is 100% work from home online, you’re likely finding yourself working much longer hours than when you went into the office. When your office is your home, the end of the workday isn’t as clear as it normally is. Plus, now that everyone is experiencing the same blurriness from work and home life, it’s sometimes even harder to disconnect. 

We now live in an age where being connected to the office is important even outside the normal nine to five. Just because there is a need to be constantly dialed in, doesn’t mean you don’t need to take time for yourself and your family. 

This may be even more important now that everyone is practicing social distancing and staying within the confines of their house. While you might not have plans to go out to dinner or to a concert, you should still make time for yourself outside of work. Take the time to make yourself a nice dinner, exercise at home or go outside and enjoy your backyard. What seems like small things can make a huge difference in your work life balance, especially during these unprecedented times. 

Now that you know how to work from home online, we hope that you can create an at home environment that will help you be productive. For even more tips for remote working, read our blog on 21 tips for working from home.