LAST year, many of us were suddenly thrust into a work-from-home mode because of the pandemic. While we welcomed this new way of working, we also had to figure out how to do it. At that time, there was no instruction manual on this.
Today, we find ourselves still struggling with the effects of the pandemic, and yes, working from home. For many people, these challenges aren’t likely to change anytime, especially with the current ECQ.
Given that, how can we improve our WFH arrangements and attitudes? How can we be more efficient? Let’s hear it from Inc.com tech columnist Jason Aten, who has “worked remotely for years, and along the way, I’ve made enough mistakes to learn a few things that can help.”
In an article, “Remote Work Isn’t Going Anywhere in 2021. These 9 Tips Can Help Make It Better,” he shares with us how we can be less stressed and more productive while working remotely:
1.Do something else first.
There was a lot of talk about life-work balance right before the pandemic. And now, with many taking on work-from-home (WFH) arrangements, the lines have been blurred, and striking a balance becomes even more precarious as homes become the workplace of the moment.
That means “you lose the separation between life and work that comes from physically leaving your home and commuting to work,” says Aten. “That separation is actually is actually important as it allows you to prepare for what you have ahead and switch between contexts.”
To give yourself some of that space, “make it a point to do something else in the morning before you start work. That means, don’t immediately start replying to e-mails Instead, go for a walk, read a book, or make breakfast for your kids.”
2.Define your space
Create a specific workspace with all the technology, tools, and resources you need to get the work done. If you don’t have an office in your home, you can set up a dedicated spot where you will comfortable, efficient, and look professional in Zoom meetings, says Aten.
3.Shut the door
Aten recommends that as much as possible, your dedicated space should have a door that can be shut. This does two things, he says, “It helps eliminate distractions by creating an actual barrier between your work area and anything else that may be happening, and it sends a visual cue to anyone who lives in your home that when the door is shut, ‘it’s work time.’”
4.Turn off distractions
Distractions can come from your home, which we have discussed above, or your workplace. For the latter, when company officials, colleagues and business partners want to get in touch with you, “every devise on your desk [and we would think you have quite a lot of these] chirps, buzzes, and lights up with banners to let you know someone wants your attention.”
Aten’s Pro Tip: “Give yourself permission to turn off notifications. In addition to the handy ‘Do not disturb feature on the iPhone, Android devises, or the Mac, many apps allow you to set priority contacts who can still get a hold of you, while muting all other notifications.”
That way, you can screen important messages from your company officials, spouse, or partner. Prioritize and everyone else can wait.
5.Chunk your time
Aten says that he got the idea about chunking one’s time, or cutting it up in smaller portions, when he interviewed entrepreneurs Jeff and Erin Youngren for the 29 Steps podcast.
One of the things that he appreciated most was how they structured their day, creating different blocks of time for different types of work.
He calls dividing one’s time into block, “chunking your time. You might have a chunk in the morning for deep or focus work, and a chunk in the afternoon for dealing with the administrative tasks and responding to e-mail. The point isn’t to schedule every task, but to group things into buckets and tackle them together.”
In short, making schedules instead of multitasking can be more efficient.
6.Take breaks
When you work from home, lines similarly blur when it comes to break times. There are no colleagues to ask us to join them for lunch, no time in and time out to keep track of.
That means, “it’s up to you to build it into your routine. Don’t underestimate how important this is.”
“Research shows that working remotely can easily lead to burnout if you aren’t intentional about stepping away,” says Aten. So, take a walk, stretch your muscles, make a phone call, and take a coffee break with your spouse. You’ll be amazed how this can make a difference in your day.
7.Plan when to quit
One way we were able to manage working from home during the first lockdown in 2020 was observing office hours at home. Our team would get dressed in the morning the same way we would during pre-Covid workdays, start working at 9:00 am, take breaks, and clock out at 6:00 PM. We still practice that when working remotely.
That way, we were able to sustain our work rhythm and discipline. We were also able to draw a line between work and home.
Otherwise, “when you work from home, it’s easy to keep working,” says Aten. “There’s always another e-mail, or slack message, or task to cross off. There’s always something else you could do.”
He warns that having no boundaries, “won’t make you more productive, and it isn’t healthy either.” In fact, knowing when to quit “might be the most important thing you can do each day.”
8.Rethink productivity
Metrics in communications and marketing have changed, and this also applies to the way we measure our productivity.
Aten’s advice: “Resist the temptation to think about measuring your own productivity [or that of your team] by how many tasks you complete, and instead look about what you are accomplishing.”
Instead of counting your e-mails sent or Zoom meetings you attend, “set a goal related to the work you contribute to your company.” For example, if you are in communications, this could be impact of your messages to the public.
9.Talk about your day
Working remotely can be lonely, and it’s always good to share your day with someone even for five minutes—a parent, sibling, friend, spouse, partner. This not only helps you unload, but also gain another perspective. It’s also a good way of assessing your day and keeping in touch.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.