A Survival Guide for Work from Home Newbies

By Susan Toussaint

We’re only four months into the new year, and 2020 will most likely be remembered as the year of the pandemic. The coronavirus is affecting the global economy, daily life and how and where you work.

Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend limiting large events and gatherings of more than 10 people. Many employers are taking heed by both grounding employees who frequently travel and instituting work-from-home policies for employees who typically work in a centralized business office.

While there is an increase in remote working due to this national emergency, remote work isn’t new. It has been gaining traction as employees increasingly demand greater flexibility with both their hours and working conditions. Five million employees, or 3.6% of the workplace, work from at home half of the time or more, according to Global Workplace Analytics. Regular workat-home has grown 173% since 2005.

Even with its growing popularity, a sudden shift to working remotely can leave you feeling a bit uneasy. After all, if you’re accustomed to working in an office environment full time, the change to working from home can leave you feeling both excited and discombobulated!

Below are some helpful hints for the work-from-home novice, and some gentle reminders for those road warriors who suddenly find themselves longing for business upgrades.

1) Set boundaries. Work life has a certain cadence to it. You leave the house the same time every day, stop and grab a coffee and a muffin from the same café and arrive at your desk with enough time to send a text to your bestie or partner. But now that you’re working from home, everyone seems to think your availability is greater and you have nothing to do. Time to set things straight.

It’s important to let people know that, even if you’re working from home, you are still working. You have the same goals and your boss is expecting the same results. Set boundaries around your availability by letting your friends and family know your working hours haven’t changed.

2) Get organized. Not everyone has a dedicated office, so finding workspace can be a challenge. While working at the kitchen table may not be ideal, you can make it work for the short term.

If you expect to be working remotely longer than the next eight weeks, it may make sense to convert a spare room to an office or to find a spot in the house you can use that will be less distracting. Move your charger station close to your workspace, find a comfortable chair and set your table up like you would a desk at the office.

Creating a dedicated, work-friendly space will help you separate your personal and work life and keep you feeling organized during this time of transition.

3) Embrace technology. Working from home has its benefits, like throwing a load of laundry in the wash at lunch or taking a quick walk around the block with your four-legged friend. But remote workers also tend to feel isolated, especially in the early stages of transitioning to working from home.

To prevent that feeling of loneliness, it is important to remain connected. The good news is many businesses already have tools in place like Zoom, Go to Webinar and Skype. These tools help to create a more intimate communication experience between workers and their