Tips for Remote Working during the Covid-19 crisis, and beyond.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, a lot of people are working from home who never have before. At Askeroth Law Group, we have some experience with this practice because for the past year, we’ve allowed our employees to work remotely or from home. If it’s feasible (as it should be in many industries), business owners should encourage their teams to work remotely. As an owner of a business myself, I’ve learned that when my employees work from home, they’re more productive, efficient, and generally happier overall. It benefits everyone, including our clients.
Over the past year, my team and I have learned a few things about our experience working from home that I’d like to share with you in the hopes that it can help you become more comfortable with your new normal.
No. 1
Focus on the ergonomics of your workspace. If you’re working from a laptop, as many are, a wireless keyboard and mouse might be beneficial, especially if you do a lot of typing. Laptops are great tools to have, but when you’re working from home and spending several hours on a cramped keyboard, it can lead to burnout. Invest in a keyboard and mouse that will give you the space you need.
When it comes to ergonomics, you should also consider getting a good chair. You don’t want to be sitting in your recliner or a kitchen table chair for eight hours while you work. This will lead to cramped muscles and back pain. I speak from experience here! If you’re able, invest in a good office chair, and a good desk if possible, to reduce those aches and increase your productivity.
No. 2
Request that your employer invest in Slack (or if you’re a business owner, consider investing in it yourself) for workplace messaging and communication. Slack is a free program that allows you to message on various channels with team members to discuss the projects you’re working on. I use this with my own team, and it has drastically cut back on emails, especially internal ones. For anyone working from home, it’s a good way for you to keep the communication flowing since you can no longer physically pop into someone’s office. With Slack, you can virtually pop into their office and ask a question at any time.
No. 3
Consider upgrading your internet servuce since more people are using their home networks right now. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to work from home without internet access. Recently, we had an internet outage at my house for a few hours in the afternoon, and it completely shut down everything. My kids couldn’t work on their classwork, and I was unable to check my emails, work on my files, or conference via video. Everything ground to a halt. If you can invest in upgrading your internet, I would highly recommend it. It’ll make you more productive and help you avoid a lot of headaches. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of internet service providers in Las Vegas, where I live. However, I recently switched out my service provider to a new company, and my service has greatly improved.
No. 4
Try not to work in your pajamas — despite how tempting it is. Getting dressed for the day before starting work will help get you in the mindset to work. I’ve found that going through my morning routine as if I were going into the office actually helps me be more productive. Obviously, you don’t need to wear a suit and tie, but don’t roll out of bed and immediately jump on your laptop. It can lead to a lack of focus and productivity. If you spend some time getting ready for the day, your mind switches to work mode and it’s easier to jump right into the tasks you need to get done that day.
No. 5
If you can, set up a separate work space apart from the rest of your house. Try to avoid the kitchen table! The kitchen is probably the worst place to work because it’s the center of life at home. You’ll be constantly interrupted by family going in and out as they get something to eat. Even if you don’t have family, it will be tempting for you to get up and grab snacks throughout the day, which can lead to some unwanted weight gain and poor eating habits. Your workspace doesn’t have to be its own room either. Carve out some space in the bedroom or a room you don’t use often, but make sure it’s out of the way so you won’t get constantly interrupted.
No. 6
Organize your time by blocking it. Time blocking, a method I use, is a productive way to break up your day and dedicate a few hours to work on specific tasks. I block out hours at a time to focus on specific projects, cases, phone calls, and whatever else I might need to do that day. Usually, the first thing I do when I get up is review my task list that I worked on the day before and block out time on my calendar to accomplish those tasks. If I don’t do this, a lot of my time gets filled with interruptions that aren’t on my task list.
While you’re blocking out your own time, make sure to put in a few breaks, which is especially important when you’re working from home. I like to go for a walk around the block because that means I get to take my dog out with me. For 10–15 minutes we get some fresh air; he enjoys it, I enjoy it, and it’s a great way to break up the day.
No. 7
Try to keep the same schedule you’d have if you were going into the office. It’s tempting to sleep in and start work late at home, but I’ve found it’s best to try and keep the same work hours for a couple of reasons. First, people are expecting you to work during your regular hours, which makes it easier for them to get in touch with you. Second, if you normally work from 8–5, it’s easier for your brain to transition from personal time to work time if you stick to that schedule.
Bonus Tools
I’d also like to recommend a few tools that have been incredibly useful to my team during this time and the past year. In addition to Slack, my team and I like to use Zoom, a video conference app that allows us to set up quick meetings with clients, coworkers, and vendors. We also use Calendly for calendar scheduling, which eliminates the back and forth of trying to set up calendar appointments. Both Zoom and Calendly offer free options and have increased our productivity significantly when working remotely. Another great resource is Linkedphone, which is a virtual reception service company for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
In these difficult times, we encourage all of you to keep in touch and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help you. Hopefully these tips will assist some of you in working from home, especially those who end up working remotely on a permanent basis. If you have any questions about remote work, please feel free to reach out to us. We’ve worked out many systems and processes (not all mentioned here) that allow us to stay productive and serve our clients in the best way possible.