Your health and safety are critical, and never more so that during this time of COVID 19 outbreak.
There will likely be an ongoing impact to our economy and in the ways that we engage with one another from the COVID 19 pandemic. Many people will be making an adjustment to working from home. Working from home can come with its own unique advantages and challenges. Here are some ideas on how you can work from home effectively.
- To increase your safety and security, consider using a VPN service to protect sensitive information including passwords, account numbers and personal information.
- Keep a dedicated work space. You may or may not have a dedicated office space in your home. If you don’t, consider setting up a desk and/or monitor that you can use specifically when you are working. Whey you are at your desk, its time to work, and when you are lounging on the couch you can give yourself permission to surf the web or purchase things for your next delivery.
- Keep your work hours consistent. Most people work better, have less stress and enjoy better health when they stick to a schedule. Have clarity on when you work and when you can relax. However, realize that working from home can give you the flexibility to adjust your hours, work later or start earlier. Give yourself permission to adjust your hours as your lifestyle needs change.
- Share your “Work Rules” with people in your home. You may need to communicate with your spouse or kids to help them understand your new schedule. They will need to recognize that your work time means that you wont be able to walk the dog or participate in domestic labor. Help your family understand what you and they can and cannot do during your work day so that everyone is on the same page.
- Don’t forget to lock your computer or device when you leave. Doing this can help prevent a family member from erasing a document or closing a program that you are working on. Its also a good idea to make sure you have an active backup program running for your computer in case of an unexpected hard drive failure.
- Take breaks and refresh. If you work for a company, know the break times that your company gives you and take them fully so you get plenty of time to recharge. There are apps that can lock your computer temporarily if you need help managing your breaks. If its a nice day, go outside and get some sunlight to increase your vitamin D, help you re-energize, and give your eyes a rest from staring at a computer screen.
- Keep in touch with friends and colleagues. Working from home can lead to a sense of isolation without the “water cooler” conversations you may be accustomed to. Take time to call friends, family and co workers to get the social interactions you may need. Consider using your web cam for video chats so that you can see other people and be seen by them.
- Make a list and check items off. Keeping track of your day using a list will help reduce the stress and clutter of trying to remember too many tasks. Cross items off of your list as you get them accomplished, and don’t forget to celebrate your victories as you make progress.