Since most technology firms (including InfoReach), financial firms, and traders are remote due to COVID-19, we thought it was an excellent opportunity to share some best practices for engaging while working remotely.
- Wake up at your regular timeFor some people, the idea of more sleep is very appealing when working remotely. However, you do not want to get too far off your regular schedule. Normal consistent sleep is essential to your productivity and health. By keeping your regular sleep schedule, you promote your productivity and ease the eventual transition back to the office.
- Go through your morning routineWaking up and jumping straight into your work is a recipe for errors. Don’t show up groggy this is a recipe for making mistakes. Instead, use the time you have to go through your regular morning routine. Get dressed like you are going to work, but maybe every day is casual Friday
- Enjoy the extra time in the morning with familyNow that you are up early and dressed for the day, use the time you otherwise used for commuting to the office to have breakfast and spend time with loved ones at home. For me, this has been a highlight of working at home.
- Keep your in Office RoutinesDon’t give up your daily office routines. Keep up with your schedule, including standing meetings, projects, and other obligations. Try to work things into your remote lifestyle as much as possible to make the transition smooth.
- Set a specific place for workDefine an office space. Doing so will help your family know when you are working by seeing you there. It also helps you to set your mind to engage in your work. When you are in this office, you are at work and ready to engage. The space you set aside should mirror your normal workspace in the office as much as possible.
- Set a predictable time for lunch for your family and colleagues to know when to expect itAnother benefit of being at home with your family at this time is having a healthy lunch together. Take your lunch break to enjoy a meal with your loved ones. This time will help you to recharge for the second half of the day. Ideally, do not shift this time too much from a predictable starting point. You want to be able to coordinate your availability with colleagues while also not letting the soup get cold.
- Use your camera as often as possibleSince most people are remote at this point, we are missing the human interaction we have in our offices. So turn on your camera. It will help you to connect with the people to whom you are speaking. They can see your emotions and your engagement. This is also a great reason to get dressed in the morning.
- Call people more often to engageBuild collaboration with more calls (with video!). A short call here and there can lead to collaboration and the sharing of ideas that emails simply will not experience. When you call someone, there is more opportunity to ask questions and clarify things than when it is caught in the cycle of write and wait for reply email chains. Don’t get me wrong, emails are useful, but when no one can stop by to see you, a call can give them a chance to say something you might not have heard otherwise.
- Don’t forget to move around and exerciseIt is easy to underestimate how much you walk in the office compared to home. My watch shows my steps and standing activity cut in half at home. So try not to forget to get up, grab fresh water. Take a quick walk and look away from your screen from time to time. Also, don’t forget to make time for exercise. A quick walk/jog or even a full workout is important to maintaining your health, especially since we are generally moving less.
