9 Practical Tips for Working from Home

By Kelsey Pirrello, Director of Talent Acquisition at All Medical Personnel

While working from home is nothing new, many more of us are doing it now! From a designated workspace and getting ready for the day to staying connected with your team and having a positive attitude, we want to share nine practical work from home tips with you.

Designate a workspace in your home that is not your bed. Even though you aren’t driving anywhere, getting up and moving locations to a designated workspace can help you get in the right frame of mind.
Get out of those PJs. They are definitely comfy, but getting up and ready for the day is something your body needs to prepare itself to be productive.
Actively engage with teammates at a distance. Just as it’s important to get ready for the day, it’s important to stay connected to your teammates and other work friends. They can be a part of what makes your job great, so don’t let the lack of face-to-face time deter you from reaching out. Use popular web software to chat, do a quick video call, send a funny gif, and stay connected.
Communication is key. While actively engaging with others is key to keeping yourself connected, communication with your managers about your work activity is just as important. Be noisy about the work you are doing and make sure your managers and teammates are all up to date.
Use an email calendar to keep focused. It is easy to be distracted by home projects, pets, kids, or a big Netflix logo glaring in your face from the TV, but using your calendar to keep a structured schedule can help! Use a calendar to schedule breaks and even set boundaries for personal time.
Use your company intranet site (if available). Company announcements that happen during this time may be featured on your organization’s intranet site. Make it part of the routine to check it every morning.
Give each other grace. Our situation as a nation is not ideal. While some of us won’t be affected by household distractions, others are working in situations with one or more unexpected “co-workers”. Give your teammates time to adjust with empathy. Offer help if you can, but kind words and understanding can go a long way.
Stay positive. These times are uncertain. There is a lot of anxiety and negativity in the news, so it can be hard to stay positive from day-to-day. Lean on each other for words of encouragement and focus on the bright side of things. We will all get through this together…apart.
Don’t overload your bandwidth. Your office may have an amazing internet and connectivity setup. While we would love to think it is the same at home, it is not. Video streaming and online gaming use lots of bandwidth that can impair your computer’s performance. If you are experiencing quality, lagging, or connectivity issues, cut down the use of those things as a way to troubleshoot.