Although the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked an upheaval of routine and normalcy worldwide, it has also brought with it many opportunities for growth and positive change, especially within the workforce.
As so many of us become more acquainted with the prospect of working from home and hone in on our self-management skills, we’ve discovered several tips and tricks that have helped us to remain motivated high-performers here at Aquinas Consulting.
Plan Ahead for a Successful Workday
The key to a highly productive remote workday is a nightly routine that will eliminate any early-morning catastrophes and ultimately set you up for success the next day. Setting an agenda every night for the upcoming workday is a great way to get an idea of what you should focus on during your nightly prep.
So, pick out your virtual meeting attire. Tidy up your workspace. Gather any necessary documents or materials that you’ll need the next day. This will help you to ensure that you’ll get a jump start on the following morning.
Tackle Top-Priority Work First Thing in the Morning
Take advantage of the energy that comes with the start of a new day and utilize the morning hours to maximize your work output. Whether you’re a morning person or not, the first few hours of the workday are invaluable while working from home.
We all get tired and bogged down by work towards the late afternoon, and you owe it to yourself to be in the best mindset possible when completing your most important tasks.
Plus, people who choose to get the hard work out of the way earlier tend to have less stressful, more relaxing afternoons and evenings!
Maintain Your Normal Workday Structure
Do you eat lunch at the same time each day at the office? Or grab coffee after every 9AM staff meeting? Great – keep doing it! Even if your home office looks and feels much different than your typical work environment, it’s important to do your best to maintain as much normalcy as possible.
So, take breaks at home when you normally would at work. Video chat with the coworker you usually eat lunch with. Maybe even take a couple laps around the house whenever you would typically walk around the office and chat with your desk-neighbors.
Separate Your “Work Space” from Your “Chill Space”
To put it simply, do not work from your bed – no matter how badly you want to! While working from home, it’s easy to give in to the temptation of curling up on the couch and sitting in front of the TV while you work.
Even if you don’t have a traditional home office, it’s important to designate an area in your home exclusively to work. Whether it be the kitchen counter or a coffee table, make sure that your “work space” isn’t an area that you’d frequently use as a “chill space” during your free time.
Cutting down on the cognitive dissonance created by the mixture of work and play will help keep you focused and maximize your productivity throughout the day.
Socialize!
Don’t underestimate the value of video chatting with your coworkers rather than sending them an email or instant message. If you typically enjoy spending time with the people in your office, then incorporate opportunities to “spend time” with them while you work from home!
Additionally, make an effort to connect with friends and family during your time off from work, whether it be virtually or socially-distanced. Make sure that you’re getting the social interaction that you need to maintain your mental health during these unprecedented times.
While we hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon be a thing of the past and that offices around the world can return to full capacity in the near future, we also appreciate the learning experiences provided by working remotely during this time. Being able to work anywhere is a valuable skill that many of us are becoming experts in right now!
We are not letting COVID-19 interfere with our productivity and workplace community here at Aquinas Consulting. We encourage you to adapt the same mindset by incorporating these tips into your daily life for now – and even beyond the pandemic.
