The Business Working from home with the Young Professionals Group

Most, if not all, of our industry is currently working from home. For most of us, this is unchartered territory, as our home becomes our office, our family becomes our colleagues and personal and professional lives sit somewhat uncomfortably close together. The challenges are wide-ranging and extend anywhere from missing social interactions and reduced productivity to overcoming the monotony of a less-stimulating routine.

Whilst these issues are cross-generational, young professionals may be feeling the burn of this as we are more likely to be dependent on our colleagues for professional or personal support and are, arguably, less disciplined to stay on task. On the flip side, the young professional cohort may have an inherent advantage in this situation with a greater understanding of the necessary technology and therefore greater options for maintaining our productivity and social networks.

Let’s have a lighthearted look at the positives:

• Forget 20 minute neighbourhoods! Let’s talk about 1 minute neighbourhoods – the commute to work has never been quicker or better for the environment (if my manager is reading this, yes I will still be late to work).

• No more noisy desk neighbours or loud office banter means extended quiet time where work that requires a more concerted effort can be readily done.

• Lunch and break times are no longer dead time and can be used more productively, such as for small jobs around the house.

• No unnecessary travel to unnecessary meetings.

• No more getting stuck in conversations with your colleagues that you’re not overly interested in.

But of course, where there are positives, there are usually also negatives:

• We’re not surrounded by our colleagues for office banter, social support and most importantly, to have a whinge (if a planner or lawyer whinges while in isolation do they actually make a sound?).

• Separating our home lives from our work lives is more difficult than ever.

• The loss of incidental and passive exercise, whether that is from your commute, or moving around the office.

• Slow internet access or other tech issues.

So how can we make working from home a more palatable and enjoyable experience?

To start with, get yourself properly set up. Have a well organised work space that is well ventilated, has plenty of natural light and is preferably doesn’t have sightline to a TV or arms reach of a fridge. A room with a closable door is ideal. And, of course, a coffee machine is a must have item.

Try and maintain your social interactions for both professional and personal benefit. On the professional side, make time to call your colleagues each day, either individually or as a group. Provide time for junior staff to ask questions of senior staff. On the more fun side, schedule team catch ups with a strictly social agenda. Try some trivia, story time or even a meet my pet (child). These initiatives are more important now than ever to ensure that everyone remains connected and engaged with their team.

Find a routine that works for you and try and stick to it. Schedule times for breaks for breakfast, lunch and exercise. Find a way to mark the transition between work and non-work time. Avoid dressing like a slob so you feel like you’re in work mode and in case someone important springs a surprise video conference on you (or at least avoid dressing like a slob from the waist up).

Whilst routine is important, find ways to make sure every day is not exactly the same. If you share a house with a number of people, you might like to try a new ‘theme’ every day - ‘I was thinking more like… funny hat day!’

Lastly, be actively conscious of how you are spending your time and how you are feeling on a day-to-day basis. It’s important to readjust your expectations, don’t over commit yourself as time moves very differently at home. Be realistic about what you can get done and don’t be too hard on yourself about not achieving it. Most importantly, if you’re not coping, tell someone. Let a colleague or your manager know that you’re finding this situation challenging. You might find they’re also struggling and have suggestions on how to work through it.

If you are struggling working from home, our take-away tip is to simply write your own list of positives and negatives. Relish in the positives it has brought you and think about how to offset the negatives. For example:

• Not being surrounded by colleagues truly enlightens us to the benefit of having good colleagues;

• Having work and home life so close can really make us more efficient in both realms;

• Loss of incidental exercise could force us to start new habits of deliberate exercise.

So what are your tips on working from home?

Jack Chiodo is the Statutory Planning Appeals Advisor at Manningham City Council and is a co-convenor of the VPELA’s YPG committee. Zac Van Grondelle is a Senior Urban Planner at Glen Eira City Council and member of the VPELA’s YPG committee.

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