woman typing on a laptop with dog in her lap
September 28, 2020

Still At Home – WORKING! OMG…

Five Tips to Keep Most of Your Sanity

Working at home for many can be productive, convenient and even relaxing! Still, to those of us who were road warriors, worked from an office and liked it, or enjoyed a blend of working from home and in an office, the experience of being exiled at home non-stop can make you go a little crazy. Given that, the Focus Forward team would like to share a few tips we have found helpful on our journey to create an effective and beneficial work from home environment.

1. Web-Based Platform Interviews outside

Web-Based Platform Interviews works on your IPad or cell phone, too, as you know. Get out of your office chair, and recharge those Vitamin D levels with some sunlight and fresh air. It might not always be possible, but if you are not the speaker or don’t need your computer, grab that coffee cup and take it outside for your Web-Based Platform Interviews. A change of scenery can be refreshing and revitalizing!

Speaking of scenery, take notice of your background behind you. You are letting people into your personal surroundings, so try to create a distraction free, tidy zone.

2. Set a schedule and stick to it!

Did you previously go to the gym before or after work? Structure your day as you would have if you were actually going to an office. Get started early enough to eat, workout, and walk the dog. Sleeping in until the start of your work day, or not stopping at the right time, can make for long days and the feeling that you have no time for yourself. Schedule breaks if you have to, eat lunch or take a quick walk.

Make a point to end the day as well, since it’s easy to fall into the trap of always being at work because you are always at home. Get back on your schedule, try something new, and step away from your designated workspace.

3. Join Your Office Wine Night or Lunch Hour

It’s challenging to stay connected to your co-workers when everyone is in different places. There needs to be watercooler chat and some of that can still happen. If there is a virtual event, go! It will probably feel good to socialize again with the people who you support, and likewise support you in your professional goals.

4. Music soothes the soul

The silence of a house can be overwhelming. If you can, put a great vibe in the home universe even if it’s just for the lunch hour, or for a break away from your desk. Whether you prefer some calm, soothing classical music in the background or some funky, upbeat groove that energizes you, music can be an extremely effective stress relieving tool.

5. Make some boundaries and be accountable to them

Work at home can mean work all the time, even when your office does not require it, as work is right there staring at you. There are no new TV shows anyway, and you have binge watched everything on Netflix! Still, try to do something else.

If you have some flexibility in your work hours, use that to your advantage. Perhaps you feel most productive working late at night; then take a two hour lunch and go running, or indulge your passion for gourmet cooking or crafting. But create a work/home life balance and don’t blur the lines.

It’s important to set up a designated work area and don’t use that particular spot for anything other than work. It also signals to others in your home that you are in “work mode” when you are in that space.

Most importantly, commit to doing more! More for your team, more for your client and more for your self-care.

At Focus Forward, our client relationships are important. We take care of our clients, and we do that first by taking personal care during this challenging time. We are always here to talk about nationwide recruiting, transcription, incentive processing, translation or open end coding – or the weather, the industry or how crazy 2020 has been. We are here for the industry. Reach out to our team anytime!