Have you got the WFH mindset?
On LinkedIn recently someone was bemoaning all these articles about home working. Just get up and start working, they exhorted. But actually, for many of us, it’s just not that easy. Working from home is a very different experience from that of the office. It needs a shift of mindset and the implementation of a few tips and tricks to get your work done. What’s more, I think WFH needs a re-frame. It’s not just a case of working from home, it’s being productive from home. These are two very different things.
My March 3rd post How to Work at home: staying productive, creative and energised has gone crazy with thousands of visits from over 70 countries, and got published by The World Economic Forum. But in light of the fact everything is changing daily, it’s out of date. So if you’re struggling embracing a WFH mindset, here’s my new post of ten ways to help you adjust.
Know what a good day looks like. We’re all diverse individuals. Some of us need a quiet environment to work in, others thrive on listening to ‘80s pop cranked up loud. The key is to tune into the habits and behaviours that make you most energised, productive and creative when you’re working at home. I know what that looks like for me: getting out first thing for a dog walk on the beach, calls with people, good music and strong coffee in the morning.
Think like a designer. When you WFH, the chances are you’re going to have more control over your day than when office-based. So get organised and structure your day accordingly. Know when you’re at your peak, and actively schedule the tasks that require more creativity and brain input for that time. I’m most creative in the morning so that’s when I do all my ideation and I’m careful not to let mundane tasks creep into my peak. I diarise admin for the afternoon slump after lunch.
Take breaks. In the last few days I’ve been hearing experiences from people embracing WFH all over the world. A great many people seem to be replicating their office life at their kitchen table - shackled to their laptop all day without taking a break. Of course, it’s likely we’ll be much more productive at home when we don’t have unwanted interruptions or unnecessary meetings. But - you MUST take breaks! It’s not shirking, it’s really important as research shows that if we don’t have downtime during the day we become irritable and less productive. So take ten minutes to sit outside on your apartment balcony, do some yoga or go for a walk.
Don’t get distracted. So the distractions of co-workers have been swapped for a myriad other things: pets, the fridge, the laundry, Netflix. Set your work hours and get focused to do the work that matters in that time. You can grab the snack/ pet the dog/ put the washing machine on when you take a break. Similarly, it’s easy to get sucked into Twitter and Facebook and go down rabbit holes, especially when so much is happening in the world. Set rules about when you’ll check social media or an app to reign you in. Stay focused!
Stay connected with others. We know we’re living in crazy times when our governments are asking their citizens to be socially distant from others. It’s more important than ever then we have human contact in other ways. Whether an all-hands Zoom meeting with co-workers/ team members or a WhatsApp video call with your friend at lunchtime, stay connected.
Put boundaries around work. I’ve found one of the biggest downsides of working from home is knowing when to switch off. When 6pm comes around it can be so easy to just drift over to the sofa with our laptop and tablet and carry on working. Put in stone the guidelines about what works for you. Know when to switch off email and don’t take your phone to bed.
Move around the house or apartment. When I’m working with teams in workplaces I always advocate moving around the office building or campus to stay energised, and not to stay at their desk all day long. The same with WFH. Getting up and switching location around your home or apartment can be really beneficial too. Perhaps identify an ecosystem of spaces where you can do different tasks: a Skype on the sofa, business planning at the kitchen table, research in a comfy armchair. Even moving a short distance inside your home can re-energise you.
Get outside. The most detrimental thing I find to WFH is not going outside. I realise many of us are in lockdown situations and we have to keep our distance. I love working from cafes which just isn’t practical at the moment. But still, try and get outside. A lunchtime run, a bike ride, a stroll around the block to look up at the blossom. It’s not only for the exercise element, but for your mental health too. And it’s to generate those creative sparks that I always find flow freely when I put one foot in front of the other.
Prepare for the unexpected. Our business lives are changing daily as the world adapts to a new rhythm, so let’s stay open and recognise that things are going to change, and suddenly. Working at home is not a shiny Instagram idyll. It’s gonna be crazy. Especially if you WFH and your children are off school. You’ll be talking to a customer on a call, telling your kids to get on with their homework quietly and trying to ignore the dog when they playfully bring you a toy. It helps knowing that we are all in the same boat.
Look after yourself and check-in with others. There’s a lot to worry about at the moment: our health, our families, our parents and friends. And what about the future of our businesses and will our jobs be secure? Or if we’re self-employed and have lost revenues, how will we pay the rent this month? If it’s all getting too much, be kind to yourself. Restrict your consumption of news. Take a break. Have a go-to meditation app. Phone a friend. Listen to your favourite Spotify playlist. Watch actor Anthony Hopkins playing the piano with his cat sat on his lap. Remember the positives - the amazing healthcare workers doing so much for us at this stressful time, and the delivery people, shop workers, refuse collectors and so on who are leaning in in extraordinary times. And check-in with others and ask how others are and how you can help.
In the UK, most of the kids are off school next week for no-one knows how long, and it’ll bring a whole host of new challenges, so watch this space for more tips how to deal with these new pressures.
