Amidst the current COVID-19 situation, many individuals have had to work from home because either their job has them working from home or because children are home due to school closures.
You may not be prepared or not sure how to handle working from home. These tips come from experience, those that work from home, and from hard-working mamas that have found ways to coordinate with their child(ren).
Here are some tips:
If you have children, work with them to create a schedule. It’s amazing that having their buy-in helps keep them on track.
For yourself, create your work schedule. If you have deadlines, it will help you stay on track, even if interrupted.
Get up and get ready like you normally would. If you stay in your pajamas, you will have the sense of having a day off, which is not what you want. And, you never know if you'll get on a Facetime type of call... you want to look presentable.
Use your normal commute time to read or spend family time with your child(ren). This will give you your normal “me time” or the opportunity to spend time with your family.
Re-arrange furniture to create a workspace. Use a bookshelf to create separation. Use the dining room table to create a child’s space and adult space.
If you had face-to-face meetings, turn them into virtual meetings by using Zoom, Go-To-Meeting, Conference Calls, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts Chat.
Post your and your child(ren) schedule predominantly to remind everybody who is doing what and between what times.
Take breaks! Your body and mind need those 10-15 minutes of non-work-related topics to keep you alert.
Turn this into an opportunity to feel like you are your own boss and you get to adjust your schedule to fit in work and family.
Remain connected to other through calls and fun virtual visits.
At the end of your shift/day, put the laptop/computer away and enjoy your dinner and family time.
May these tips help maintain your sanity during a time of change.
Gladys Monroy Boutwell, CIC
gladys@insurancedesignpros.com
503-433-7965
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