Top 5 Tips for Working Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Over the past decade, businesses across the country have been slowly but steadily expanding their work-from-home programs, allowing their employees to skip the commute and do their jobs remotely. After all, in a world that revolves around the internet more and more each day, this seemed like the natural course of things. But then COVID-19 hit, and in the blink of an eye, millions of employees went from their cubicles to their kitchen tables, and now, months later, many of them are still there. Some have embraced the change and absolutely love the fact that they don’t have to get dressed up or sit in traffic to earn their paycheck. Others, however, find working from home incredibly challenging. If you belong to the latter group, then this article is for you. Below we offer the Top 5 tips for how to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic without completely losing your mind.

1. Get Dressed – While you don’t necessarily have to put on a shirt and tie to sit at your kitchen table, getting dressed—even just in jeans and a tee-shirt—rather than staying in your pajamas can help to reinforce the “I’m at work now” mentality and increase productivity. On the flip side, staying in your pajamas reinforces the “let’s just lay down in bed for five minutes” mentality, which will definitely not help with productivity.
2. Maintain Regular Hours – While working from home might give you more flexibility when it comes to how and when you need to get your work done, setting a schedule and sticking to it can help you maintain a semblance of order in an otherwise chaotic situation. Also, try to take lunch at around the same time every day if possible.
3. Keep a Designated Workspace – When you’re working remotely, you may be tempted to sit on the couch with the TV on while working, or simply bring your laptop into bed and work from there. But having a clearly defined workspace that you occupy during work hours and exit when you’re finished can prevent you from feeling too confined.
4. Socialize With Colleagues – Just because you’re not physically in the office, you should still try to get some socialization in. Use chat apps or even your phone to keep in touch with colleagues. Not only can this help you maintain your sanity, but if they’re stuck at home just like you are, they’re probably looking for someone to chat with as well.
5. End the Day With a Routine – Do something to signal that your workday is over—whether it’s taking the dog for a walk, exercising, taking a shower, or simply changing into some comfy clothes. When you were at the office, your car ride home, however short it was, signaled to your brain that the workday was over. And while the office may be temporarily out of the picture, making sure your brain gets that “end of day” message is still important for maintaining a work/life balance.

JanusHR is committed to helping our clients through the challenging times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about the services we offer, contact us today.