6 Tips for Working From Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Amid the spread of COVID-19, many businesses have been forced to implement work-from-home policies to keep their employees safe.

For some of you, it may be challenging to adapt to the work-from-home lifestyle and stay productive — after all, home is where you have access to your television, books, and other distractions that can take your attention away from your work. Not to mention, it’s easy to not feel a sense of urgency to get work done when there’s no supervisor looking over your shoulder.

Our team here at TitanFile has found success in working from home and we’d like to share with you some tips from our staff:

1. Develop a routine

For you, a routine might mean getting up in the morning, having a coffee, showering and getting dressed. Perhaps you always schedule your lunch for noon, and you know you’ll be shutting your computer off at 5. Or maybe you get your best work done in your pajamas, and you prefer to eat your lunch at 2:30.

If you have flexible work hours, you may work best either in the mornings or at night. We have some early birds at TitanFile, but some of our employees also like to work strange hours… sometimes until 3am!

The main thing is to establish a routine of whatever works for you and stick with it.

2. Dedicate a distraction-free space

You want to avoid working from your bed as it might make you feel too relaxed and care-free.

Most people who work from home have a dedicated space or an office that allows them to work uninterrupted, and at the end of the day close the door and return to their home life.

Find out which areas around your house are most comfortable for you to work in.

3. Maintain trust

One of the first steps in maintaining accountability is establishing trust. Much with any other area in your life, trust is a two way street. Your employer must trust that you’re taking your job seriously while working from home, and that things are getting done.

Ensure there’s an open dialogue between yourself and those you maintain contact with your managers. If you have any issues, it’s important that you bring them up before they escalate into real problems.

4. Stay connected with your colleagues

Keeping in contact with your co-workers not only keeps you up to date on what they’re working on, but it also creates a stronger relationship. And where there are shared goals and familiarity there will also be accountability. As an added benefit, you’ll also get to know your co-workers as more than just a name in your instant messaging list.

Try to mix it up a little bit as well. While instant messaging is effective for short bursts of conversation throughout the day, it should not be the only form of communication your team uses. Need to talk to a co-worker? Phone them, or dial them on a video conferencing app.

When we want to get together as a team at TitanFile, we like to use Google Hangouts. We try to have a virtual meeting once or twice a week to maintain that “human” connection.

5. Choose the right tools

If you’re working from home, it’s important to find the tools that work best for you. If you’re responsible for sharing confidential information back and forth, you’ll need a secure file sharing provider.

Task management is important, so consider sharing a calendar with co-workers, or signing up for a project management service.

All of these tools keep you connected with co-workers – ensuring due dates are met and projects are kept on schedule.

6. Request resources if you need them

When you’re working from home, you should have access to the equipment and resources you need to help you do your job just as effectively as if you were in the office.

Don’t be afraid to let your managers know what you need. They want you to be productive at home too!