A guide to work from home

Working from home might be a challenge for those who are not used to it. In my day to day, I manage a team of people located in different parts of the planet, many of them working at home. I have worked remotely at various vital moments, so I understand that adaptation can be difficult for all those who do it for the first time. The lack of an office, a social group, an environment that mentally places us in a work position brings added difficulty. Therefore, it is important to follow a series of patterns that help us keep our mind focused and maintain high productivity and an adequate balance between our professional and personal life.

Create your workspace: Even if you don’t have a room for yourself, you can create an area that, even during your business hours, works as a desk. You can even assemble and disassemble it daily. But it must be an area where you have the calm and comfort necessary to carry out your work with ease.

Maintain your habits and schedules: It is critical that you don’t abandon your diet, hygiene and body health habits. If you are used to getting up at a certain time, exercising, having a shower, having breakfast at a specific time, keep doing it. Maintaining your routines is very important when you work from home.

Get dressed to go to work: The routine should be identical to what you would do if you went to the office. Shaving, combing, makeup… and of course getting the right attire… they should be kept just as you would if you went to the office. Think that you could have work calls where using the camera is required (Skype, Teams, Whatsapp), but on top of it you will be in "office mode" and it will make you feel better.

Plan your agenda: Not being in your usual work environment, you must have additional discipline, organization, self-control and order. Planning your weekly and daily work will help you better structure your day and leave nothing uncompleted. Include in your daily planning the same breaks that you would do in the office. Remember that working from home doesn’t mean working non-stop, all day long. Respect your breaks and leave time for yourself and your family.

Control and compensate: You must be very aware of your new situation and review what effects it has on you, your performance and your mood and mental balance. And based on this, compensate for what might be missing. For example, you may feel you lack interaction with others; you must be able to identify it and include ways to interact more with your co-workers. Another example is the absence of walking while commuting to the office; increasing fitness routines is usually a good idea for those who work from home.

Working from home or remotely is an unstoppable trend worldwide, and it brings multiple benefits: it saves commuting times, improves balance of family and work life, provides flexibility ... but it also requires an extra discipline, self-control and communication. Share with your team leader your experience, your needs and your proposals in order to implement improvements that will help your team be more connected and more efficient.

Ray Alabern