We are all settling into our own versions of the “new normal” as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we each have to figure out how we maintain productivity, get our work done, stay focused and find balance in our lives.
I decided to start my own strategic communications agency just about a year ago and with the amazing support of my wife
Prior to that, I spent over 15 years going in to the office each morning and living the life of a corporate communications professional. Priorities were set by the business I represented.
My distractions were simply the next crisis, public relations opportunity, or request that came down the chain. I was a part of a larger in-person team that supported so many elements of being successful at my job.
Now faced with this new challenge of starting my own business, I had a home office and a business to develop. There were strategies to create, different distractions to manage and all the other challenges that come with starting a business from your house.
Add to that moving from Tampa to (just outside) Chicago and it’s been a rollercoaster of a year with trying to create a system that gets the job done.
The Good News
GitLab recently surveyed 3,000 knowledge workers who either worked remotely or had the option to work remotely. Most gave WFH an enthusiastic thumbs up! About 90% said they would recommend home working to a friend, and 84% said they could accomplish all their tasks remotely.
There are a lot of tips out there and it can be hard to know what to focus on, so I wanted to share some things that have worked for me:
Claim Your Space:
This may be the most important takeaway. When “working from home” make sure you have some space, any space, that is dedicated to that activity. If you can avoid it, don’t share a space with your gym equipment or set up a desk around your other hobbies. And certainly avoid the kids play area.
Even if you have to escape to a large closet or set up space in your garage, make sure it’s yours and somewhere you can concentrate on your work.
Set Expectations:
This is important for all parties involved in your WFH efforts –colleagues, coworkers, bosses, family and friends. Just because you are now a WFH professional doesn’t mean you have to be glued to your computer 24/7 or conversely can skip out for a round of golf with your friends anytime you want. Set boundaries and expectations around when you have to work and when it’s time to play. And be transparent about your needs so others can help.
Distractions:
That same GitLab survey revealed that nearly half (47%) of those surveyed mentioned the difficulty of managing at-home distractions as the biggest issue.
Distractions at home can range from Amazon dropping off that package and your dog needing to go outside to staring at that home project you’ve been putting off for weeks. Find ways to limit distractions by:
– setting those expectations (see above),
– making your daily to-do list and sticking to it, or
– just setting official “office hours”.
Find what works for you, stick to it and adjust as necessary.
Talk With Your Family:
Your family and those you live with can be your best asset to successfully work from home. And talking with them is a MUST when it’s recommended by the CDC that everyone stay home for several weeks.
Talk to your spouse and communicate your needs. Have a conversation with your mom or dad so they know not to swing by to play with the kids. Come up with a plan together so everyone knows what needs to be accomplished.
Managing Priorities:
If you’re not used to working solo or away from your peers or team, this can be a real challenge. Think about how often your priorities change based on your daily interactions and meetings after you get to the office.
Manage your priorities by creating and sticking to a to-do list and maintaining communication with your teams throughout the day. Another tip is to reserve your morning to get the most important tasks done before you start to add more to your to-do list.
Collaboration:
If you haven’t already done so, choose and download some crucial apps for staying connected to your teams. Whether it’s a WhatsApp group, morning Zoom video conferences or Slack groups, have your core teams on the same app so you can collaborate often. To maintain productivity, it’s important to utilize technology to bring your teams together to maximize resources, just as you would in the office.
And don’t be afraid to use video chat more frequently. Remember that people are inherently visual beings which means it’s important that we add visual elements to our communications throughout the day.
Motivation:
Getting motivated is something that’s easier done in person than remotely or through any app. A personal trainer often motivates you by being in your personal space (maybe that’s why they call it a personal trainer).
When you want to get your team motivated you typically bring them together to rally around a project or celebrate a victory. So, when you’re working from home, you have to find ways to get motivated, and that can be very specific to you.
So, find what works for you as an individual. Celebrate small wins. Set achievable daily goals to complement your larger longer-term goals. If you’re a manager, make sure you find ways to motivate your teams to keep them energized and excited about the work that needs to be done and not making crazy requests – yes, they can work late but don’t ask them to if it’s not necessary.
Here are some additional blogs and stories to check out as you’re settling in to your new normal:
– So You Suddenly Work from Home. Now What?
– 7 Tips for Successfully Managing Remote Teams
Here are some additional resources for your crisis planning efforts:
– Internal Communications During A Crisis
– The Art & Science Of Making A Public Apology
– A Meaningful Message, Or Pandering Without Purpose
And here are some additional blogs to help with your strategic communications planning:
– Pitching Media Like The Pros
– Tips For Nailing Media Relations
– Don’t Let Perfect Be The Enemy Of Effective
– Wake Up. Kick Ass. Repeat.
– How to Create Content That Engages Audiences and Builds Brand Trust Quickly
– 7 Tips to Measure Your Strategic Communications Campaigns
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