WFH - top tips from B.linc Innovation
Working from home during COVID-19
The Covid-19 situation has resulted in unprecedented action- the majority of employees of non-essential services are finding themselves working from home. Whether you are working from home alone, in the company of family or your pet, this presents challenges of its own. Whilst you may love these people dearly, you may not particularly like them 4 weeks from now.
B.linc has compiled a list of 5 top tips to ensure you remain content, productive and happy while working from home during this time of enforced isolation.
1. Physical distancing does not mean social distancing
Keeping in contact with your friends, family, and colleagues is paramount to your own mental health. There are plenty of good apps available for you to maintain social contact – check out Zoom, House Party and Skype, just a few suggestions. Continuance of your social life from the confines of your own house can prove challenging, however keeping your routine as normal as possible will help with any distress getting through the next while.
2. Enjoy time with your pets
Co-working with your pets can present challenges of its own. Put time aside for your pets, ensure you still maintain your morning, afternoon and lunch breaks and use this time to entertain your pets. They are not aware of why everyone is home and just want to play – don’t get angry if they are interrupting your Zoom meeting. We would suggest bringing them into the screen of your meeting so everyone else who doesn’t have a pet can enjoy their gorgeous fluffy little faces.
3. Keep taking breaks
You shouldn’t work through break times at your regular place of work so why should you work through them just because your setting has changed. Make sure you take your breaks, use this time to exercise or to do something you enjoy. It isn’t often that you can have lunch with your family/friends every day so cherish this time.
4. Be kind to yourself and your co-habitants
New Zealanders are currently facing a high amount of stress. This might be about food supplies or work uncertainty or about vulnerable friends and family.
You, staying at home, unless you are providing an essential service, is paramount to the health and safety of New Zealand. The wider issue is out of your control, don’t sweat the small stuff. Make sure you are nice to yourself and your colleagues during this time. Everyone is under tremendous stress and taking your stress out on other people will not help the situation.
5. Establish rules and the pecking order for the house
If you are familiar with The Walking Dead, you will probably have heard of a Ricktatership. Will you make everyday decisions autonomously? What happens if one or more of you need something from the supermarket? Will you implement noise restrictions in your co-working space to cater to those who prefer working in silence?
Use the early days to establish rules and expectations of your co-working space. This not only reduces conflict down the road but also means there is less angst because everyone knows where they stand when it comes to watching The Walking Dead when someone is trying to write blog posts.
This is not an exhaustive list of things to consider in the next weeks, but our fun list of top tips to help you along the way.
If working at home seems nice now, it might not be in a month from now. Once enforced isolation is over, B.linc would love to invite you to use our modern and fresh co-working space, for a day, on us.
We don’t have a Ricktatership, a clingy dog or someone watching The Walking Dead at B.linc, but we do have fresh, modern and slick facilities with bottomless coffee, fast wifi, and free parking. And we think that is much better.