Tips for people working from home for first time.
NovusDies
Posts: 8,940 Member
Ideally you would have a work space that is used only for working. That is harder to accomplish in a home so do the best you can. Be careful about working from a table. They are not normally at the correct height to type on a computer comfortably for extended periods.
Keep regular hours, take breaks and lunch at specific times. Initially I used a system of two 15 minute breaks and 30 minutes for lunch instead of an hour lunch. Nowadays they recommend just getting up once an hour and moving for a bit. Either way try not to sit for too long in the same space. Going a bit stir crazy is a possibility.
Try to have control over the space. Children and pets may produce unwanted noise and distraction.
Get dressed for work. I know you want to work from your pajamas but I remember transitioning from an office to home and this trick helped me for the first few weeks. So did leaving the house. During my first month or so I would leave the house before work to go get a coffee somewhere and then return. Going to a public place for a coffee is not a good idea but perhaps going for a short walk if the weather is nice enough.
Make your lunch and any snacks you will eat while working in the morning like you normally would. Keep the kitchen closed except to reheat (if necessary) what you have prepared and beverages. When you do need something like a beverage get in and get out as fast as you can.
Some of these tricks are not as important if you transition very fast but do not underestimate how much you associate habits with locations. This can be especially important if your job requires a high level of productivity.
Keep regular hours, take breaks and lunch at specific times. Initially I used a system of two 15 minute breaks and 30 minutes for lunch instead of an hour lunch. Nowadays they recommend just getting up once an hour and moving for a bit. Either way try not to sit for too long in the same space. Going a bit stir crazy is a possibility.
Try to have control over the space. Children and pets may produce unwanted noise and distraction.
Get dressed for work. I know you want to work from your pajamas but I remember transitioning from an office to home and this trick helped me for the first few weeks. So did leaving the house. During my first month or so I would leave the house before work to go get a coffee somewhere and then return. Going to a public place for a coffee is not a good idea but perhaps going for a short walk if the weather is nice enough.
Make your lunch and any snacks you will eat while working in the morning like you normally would. Keep the kitchen closed except to reheat (if necessary) what you have prepared and beverages. When you do need something like a beverage get in and get out as fast as you can.
Some of these tricks are not as important if you transition very fast but do not underestimate how much you associate habits with locations. This can be especially important if your job requires a high level of productivity.
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Replies
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This is very helpful - thank you.
I took a walk today over lunch -- it really restored my mood and focus.4 -
I found this info on line and I hope that it's helpful
How to work from home without losing your sanity
Haven't gotten the hang of it yet? Home office pros know practices like setting boundaries, structuring time and forcing social interaction (even if it's just online) go a long way toward building a productive day.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/success/work-from-home-tips/index.html?utm_source=CNN+Five+Things&utm_campaign=0d65025983-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_17_01_20&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6da287d761-0d65025983-933474332 -
janejellyroll wrote: »This is very helpful - thank you.
I took a walk today over lunch -- it really restored my mood and focus.
This is a regular tool in my belt. I, in fact, just got back from a 10 minute half mile walk that I take a couple of times a week when I need to shake the yawns/droopiness. There are times I only have time for a quarter mile but moving around for even that 5 minutes does wonders for me. Without the dog I fit more distance but I am afraid he would burn the house down if I tried to leave without him.4 -
Any tips on how to avoid distractions and focus on the work? It's the first time I have to work from home. Even when I study I head to the library to avoid being distracted.
Theoretically I know it's not much different from any regular working situation, but I can't seem to get my mind to focus on the work at hand.
Moving my workspace to another location is not an option either.0 -
ladyreva78 wrote: »Any tips on how to avoid distractions and focus on the work? It's the first time I have to work from home. Even when I study I head to the library to avoid being distracted.
Theoretically I know it's not much different from any regular working situation, but I can't seem to get my mind to focus on the work at hand.
Moving my workspace to another location is not an option either.
If you have noise cancelling headphones, they can help - especially if you listen to something like white noise or a certain genre of music ONLY when you're in "work mode."
Weirdly, I've always found that putting on *shoes* and not just pants or not-pajamas helps as well, and I have a special "work time" coffee cup with a lid to prevent accidents on or near my laptop. Just have a couple of mnemonics that you ONLY associate with work time. They can be as specific or peculiar or mundane as you need them to be. Just put them all away or turn them off when work time is done.6 -
Any tips on working while also taking care of a 4 year old and a 7 month old lol8
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ladyreva78 wrote: »Any tips on how to avoid distractions and focus on the work? It's the first time I have to work from home. Even when I study I head to the library to avoid being distracted.
Theoretically I know it's not much different from any regular working situation, but I can't seem to get my mind to focus on the work at hand.
Moving my workspace to another location is not an option either.
Are you distracted by your surrounding or distracted by people and/or pets making noise?
If it is just having a hard time "getting into" your work you might want to try an intermediary activity first. Perhaps reading an article about the work you do or doing some sort of brain exercise.
If you cannot move where you work can you move decorative objects away from it? You might try making the area more sterile while in work mode.
You may also find that you have specific times of greater focus/productivity. I hit my stride mid morning so I plan accordingly.
Background noise like a TV or music can be helpful for some and hurtful for others.
Minimize the amount of other choices you need to make. Try to plan what you will eat and wear the evening before. If you are having a hard time focusing you need to be on autopilot as much as possible.
What is the nature of your work?1 -
ladyreva78 wrote: »Any tips on how to avoid distractions and focus on the work? It's the first time I have to work from home. Even when I study I head to the library to avoid being distracted.
Theoretically I know it's not much different from any regular working situation, but I can't seem to get my mind to focus on the work at hand.
Moving my workspace to another location is not an option either.
What's distracting you? For me, it's other things I could be doing, so I kind of build in my distractions as a stretching break. Ex:- Work
- Throw a load of laundry in the washer
- Work
- Throw it in the dryer
- Work
- Fold and store
Taking the break helps me focus better when I get back.5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »This is very helpful - thank you.
I took a walk today over lunch -- it really restored my mood and focus.
Oh, yes, one of the things I love about working from home is that it is much easier to get in my lunch time exercise. When I get this, I'm more productive in the afternoons, and less prone to the munchies.4 -
I've worked one day a week from home since 2012, and like working in my pyjamas and not bothering to wash my hair. My home is child and pet free. If you get distracted by unfinished housework, find somewhere to work where you don't see the mess. This is the first time I work from home for an extended period and when the whole team is at home. My tips would be:
Get your manager to schedule a quick daily conference call with your team so you still feel like a team and bottlenecks and problems get escalated in a timely manner.
Consider getting an extra monitor if you are used to having multiple screens in the office.
Take advantage of the time flexibility to get to the gym when it's empty. Also advantageous for social distancing.
A good pair of earphones makes dial in meetings run smoother.2 -
ladyreva78 wrote: »Any tips on how to avoid distractions and focus on the work? It's the first time I have to work from home. Even when I study I head to the library to avoid being distracted.
Theoretically I know it's not much different from any regular working situation, but I can't seem to get my mind to focus on the work at hand.
Moving my workspace to another location is not an option either.
Are you distracted by your surrounding or distracted by people and/or pets making noise?
If it is just having a hard time "getting into" your work you might want to try an intermediary activity first. Perhaps reading an article about the work you do or doing some sort of brain exercise.
If you cannot move where you work can you move decorative objects away from it? You might try making the area more sterile while in work mode.
You may also find that you have specific times of greater focus/productivity. I hit my stride mid morning so I plan accordingly.
Background noise like a TV or music can be helpful for some and hurtful for others.
Minimize the amount of other choices you need to make. Try to plan what you will eat and wear the evening before. If you are having a hard time focusing you need to be on autopilot as much as possible.
What is the nature of your work?
I moved back in with my parents to be able to finance my studies. Between the cats and the "can you give me a hand for just a second" there's always someone coming into my room. There's also the expectation that since I'm home, I can do the housework chores right now instead of the weekend like I usually do. I don't particularly feel like spending my breaks on laundry, cat litter scooping and bathroom cleaning. I'll do those after my work hours and on the weekend, as I've always done.
I try to explain that I need to get my 8 hours of work in. This usually results in an answer along the line of "well, it's not as if it matters when you do those 8 hours. And I only need your help for a minute. Can't you take a break now?" Roughly on an hourly or less basis...
It's frustrating because I can't seem to get through to them that I really do need to work. Those "just a second" and "it'll only take a minute" usually mean I lose about 30 minutes. The time it takes for them to finally explain what they need (or the time for the argument of "I'm on 'work time'") and the time it takes to get back into the thought processes and back into a concentrated focus.
The cats, at least, I can throw outside when they get to be too much of a nuisance. Parents I wouldn't even be able to pick up, let alone throw.
Since I'm not allowed patient contact right now, I've been given studies to read and summarize for the team and patient information pamphlets to rework. It takes concentration and getting that broken regularly just doesn't work well for me and I might end up not being able to make my deadlines.
I do my best work in the morning. So moving the work to night when no one is up and about isn't really a solution either, but I might end up needing to do that. I've been avoiding working/studying at home since high school. Preferring the library or going into work on a Saturday instead of trying to deal with the interruptions at home. There's just no understanding as to why those interruptions are a problem and, after nearly 20 years of trying, I've given up on trying to explain.
Not sure I'll survive this with my sanity intact...8 -
I’ve been working from home for years. I like it but I think I am a bit of a loner oddball.
I use my dining table as a work desk. It gets used for family meals in the evening. I put the work Lap top away every night so the room feels different in the evening. Living in London I just don’t have the luxury of a spare room to work in.
I make sure I move around all the time. Up and down the stairs. Fidget a lot. Do small house jobs. I’m still thinking about work while fidgeting and moving. ( my job involves a lot of thinking) I think I have high NEAT and that helps with weight maintenance because I am a bit of a grazer. I limit treat foods that I keep in the house.
Overalll I’m more productive than if I was in an office because I’m not distracted by colleagues.0 -
I've been working from home 1 day/week for some years, now it is full time.
Since the beginning I've handled my homework in the same routine as I would work. I also take my breaks at the same time.
My biggest hurdle is : THE KITCHEN! It is really hard not to throw something together or grab a snack and now in times of anxiety the urge is even more present.
One thing I've decided with my colleagues now is to check in unformally with a good morning and some pics in a whatsapp group to keep in touch with eachother. Nothing workrelated, just chit chat.
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@ladyreva78 That sounds so frustrating!
Can you lock your door? Or do you have to work in a common area of the house? If you can separate yourself I’d try telling them “I’m going to work for x hours. This is important to me. I will not answer the door during this time.” And then put in some headphones. I might even go so far as to give them a schedule that tells them when you are available for household chores.
Our challenge right now is that my older daughter is home from college. My husband was using her room as an office and now can’t so he’s using my office. But that means I have to squeeze my office work in between his work calls. Sharing is hard
As for general tips, I find setting timers to be very helpful. Especially when it comes to breaks. It’s very easy to let a 10minute break turn into an hour watching tv, reading, or on my phone if I don’t have that timer breaking in.3 -
@ladyreva78, does your workplace place have work-at-home guidelines, a list of expectations, or a contract you had to sign if you work at home? If so, maybe you could show your parents the "official paperwork."3
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ladyreva78 wrote: »ladyreva78 wrote: »Any tips on how to avoid distractions and focus on the work? It's the first time I have to work from home. Even when I study I head to the library to avoid being distracted.
Theoretically I know it's not much different from any regular working situation, but I can't seem to get my mind to focus on the work at hand.
Moving my workspace to another location is not an option either.
Are you distracted by your surrounding or distracted by people and/or pets making noise?
If it is just having a hard time "getting into" your work you might want to try an intermediary activity first. Perhaps reading an article about the work you do or doing some sort of brain exercise.
If you cannot move where you work can you move decorative objects away from it? You might try making the area more sterile while in work mode.
You may also find that you have specific times of greater focus/productivity. I hit my stride mid morning so I plan accordingly.
Background noise like a TV or music can be helpful for some and hurtful for others.
Minimize the amount of other choices you need to make. Try to plan what you will eat and wear the evening before. If you are having a hard time focusing you need to be on autopilot as much as possible.
What is the nature of your work?
I moved back in with my parents to be able to finance my studies. Between the cats and the "can you give me a hand for just a second" there's always someone coming into my room. There's also the expectation that since I'm home, I can do the housework chores right now instead of the weekend like I usually do. I don't particularly feel like spending my breaks on laundry, cat litter scooping and bathroom cleaning. I'll do those after my work hours and on the weekend, as I've always done.
I try to explain that I need to get my 8 hours of work in. This usually results in an answer along the line of "well, it's not as if it matters when you do those 8 hours. And I only need your help for a minute. Can't you take a break now?" Roughly on an hourly or less basis...
It's frustrating because I can't seem to get through to them that I really do need to work. Those "just a second" and "it'll only take a minute" usually mean I lose about 30 minutes. The time it takes for them to finally explain what they need (or the time for the argument of "I'm on 'work time'") and the time it takes to get back into the thought processes and back into a concentrated focus.
The cats, at least, I can throw outside when they get to be too much of a nuisance. Parents I wouldn't even be able to pick up, let alone throw.
Since I'm not allowed patient contact right now, I've been given studies to read and summarize for the team and patient information pamphlets to rework. It takes concentration and getting that broken regularly just doesn't work well for me and I might end up not being able to make my deadlines.
I do my best work in the morning. So moving the work to night when no one is up and about isn't really a solution either, but I might end up needing to do that. I've been avoiding working/studying at home since high school. Preferring the library or going into work on a Saturday instead of trying to deal with the interruptions at home. There's just no understanding as to why those interruptions are a problem and, after nearly 20 years of trying, I've given up on trying to explain.
Not sure I'll survive this with my sanity intact...
I understand that the cost of an interruption goes beyond they time being interrupted all too well.
Have you tried putting a sign on your door that basically says "do not disturb"? People can be funny about respecting signs more than respecting verbal pleas. I would also try going on the offensive. Before you start working ask if there is anything they need and then tell them that is there chance for requests until a specific time. If you find a natural break in your work you could ask again repeating that you will be unavailable until later.
I wouldn't try explaining why the interruptions are a problem but perhaps explain that interrupting you is interfering with your ability to achieve your goals. You are there to accomplish something and if they interfere with that there is no point in being there.
Lastly, can you get up earlier and try to get in work before they get up?6 -
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Hands definitely behind the back, or they'll get free! :laugh:Disclaimer: I'm just kidding. Don't abuse your kids.1 -
Thanks for all the advice!
I've tried the 'closed door' policy this morning. Not much success.
I'm trying the 'closed door' + big red DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door. It's nearly 4 pm and I haven't been interrupted once...
I'll try adding an "I'll be working for the next x hours and will be unavailable until XX:XX" tomorrow.
Worst case, I'll ask @NovusDies for advice on how to tie up people
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ladyreva78 wrote: »Thanks for all the advice!
I've tried the 'closed door' policy this morning. Not much success.
I'm trying the 'closed door' + big red DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door. It's nearly 4 pm and I haven't been interrupted once...
I'll try adding an "I'll be working for the next x hours and will be unavailable until XX:XX" tomorrow.
Worst case, I'll ask @NovusDies for advice on how to tie up people
Maybe PM him for the tying advice. :laugh:
@NovusDies This is all great. Thank you. I am horrible at working from home to the point where much of my thesis was written at the library. Now that's not an option.1 -
Get outside and take a walk when you used to commute.3
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Excellent post.
My add is... when I get up from my desk I complete a set of something. Pushups Squats Bicept curl go for a short walk. Incorporate some exercise.0 -
But, but, but...my 3 kids are home from school, and since they already had spring break, they’re now doing virtual zoom classes/homeschool while I’m trying to work. It’s very difficult to help them and work. Soon my husband will be working from home as well, so maybe a bit easier to switch off.2
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Something else that may be worth remembering. If you are using company equipment or using personal equipment that is using a company VPN you should consider it likely that your app and internet usage is being monitored even while at home. While at work a certain percentage may be overlooked but I think with a lot of people at home people are going to be monitoring this very closely and, yes, they do know who is doing what.
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