Author: Quinton Banks
With the new year came necessary changes to businesses’ pre-established workplace dynamics. We at Cool Nerds Marketing are one of those businesses, that have adapted to the home workspace without losing the culture we’ve worked hard to create. We all found ways to stay as connected and deadline-oriented as ever. We do so through a few key ways that I think are useful tips for anyone who made the big leap from onsite work to working from home. With the ever-changing landscape of the work, vaccines, and new strains of the virus it has never been more important for businesses to have bulletproof ways of keeping up morale. So here are a few personal tips to keep company culture and efficiency while the world transitions from work from home to onsite working and back.
1.) Wake up earlier
The standard routine was based on leaving the house, this action would provide the forward momentum with which you’d power the rest of your workday. Now there’s room for us to miss out on these vital moments, so we retool this concept to fit staying at home. Start your day off with the usual basics, brushing teeth, showering, deodorant, etc. but start your day earlier. Getting up earlier gives you the opportunity to adjust, so you’re ready to input new information. There was a study in a 2008 University of Texas that found waking up early helps to make you more creative, more aware, and happier. I wake up earlier as a chance to have some me time, the time I can fill with positive activities that will allow me to be at my best.
2.) Get some movement
Regardless of if you’re a fitness nut like me or someone who doesn’t like to work out at all, getting the body in motion at the start of the day is essential. Your physical activity can be anything from yoga, a 15-minute circuit, or a walk around the local park. I choose a gym because the morning walk to the gym allows me to get great heaps of fresh air, essential since you’ll be spending most of the day inside. Not being active can affect your creativity and chip away at your mood and ability to deal with daily stresses. It is essential to take care of yourself and keep a healthy mind and body.
3.) Set up your command center
Set up your workstation or “command center”. I recommend writing a list of 3-5 essential tasks you need to accomplish that day. Knowing what you need to tackle for the day allows you to keep ahead on your duties at work, while there’s not anyone physically tracking your progress. It can be hard to stay focused if you don’t have a reliable base of operations like at work, so try to set up a desk space free from distractions. Having your bed as your desk for some may be unavoidable but if you can get yourself set up in a workspace that you can make free of distractions like TVs, game systems, noisy neighbors e.t.c. , think of this as your command center. If it’s unavoidable to work somewhere that is not your bed/bedroom make sure you can at least sit comfortably upright.
4.) Weekly Check-ins
We at Cool Nerds Marketing set up 3 meetings internally with the company over teams every week. Monday’s meeting sets up everyone’s weekly expectations so that each team member knows what is on the others plate. The mid-week meeting gives us a chance to directly communicate with our team members as well as keep on track leading up until the end of the week. Lastly, there is the Friday meeting a wrap-up session in the morning to let everyone know what needs to be completed and what was worked on for the week. These meetings allow us all a moment to get some face time with the co-workers we’re not seeing on a regular basis, chat share a smile, and stay connected. Just like the time before covid an inviting and uplifting company culture only makes the team stronger.
5.) Daily Check-ins
Try communicating with your teammates more than you normally would, to ensure you’re on top of everything and there aren’t any hidden tasks you might have missed. Communication is key in every workspace. Keeping up the enthusiasm and community at the workplace while at home, is the key to keeping things running smoothly. I am not suggesting that you instant message coworkers to chat about non-work-related items, but just check-in and let your workplace know that you are actively engaged.
6.) Leave work
Leave your work at work. It can be hard to leave the “command center” once you’re in the groove plugging away at a task. Without the ability to “leave” your job to signal the end of the workday, set a timer, and once it goes off log off and reset yourself. There are those who need to work overtime but if you get through the day’s essential goals log-off, an overworked employee is one headed towards burnout.
7.) Go to bed
Rest is always imperative if you don’t get the sleep you need your work will suffer. If you don’t rest there’s no one to catch you if you’re trailing off at work. You could end up wasting precious work hours. Sleeping well, and sleeping long are important to have a healthy mind and body in any situation, but more so now that we’re pretty much always inside. It’s usually recommended to try for at least 8 hours a night.
These are tips that work for working in the office and outside of the office. The key is to make sure that you’re ready for anything that could happen because these days it seems like and anything could. Make your home workspace bulletproof, and make your daily regimen exemplary and no matter what new problems arise you’ll be prepared.
