Confusion. Concern. Uncertainty. Stress. All these emotions are currently being experienced by many of us during these times of COVID-19. Closures of schools, churches, restaurants, bars, gyms, stores, and shopping centers are taking place at local, state, and national levels. We are encouraged to practice social distancing, avoid large crowds, or mainly stay home to not be exposed to COVID-19. This is becoming the new norm. Most companies and employers are taking the necessary precautions to keep their workforce and employees safe and advising those that can work from home to do so. It is still unclear if this will be temporary or extended for a certain period, so all preparations should be taking place now.

If we will be using our residence as our new office, there may be some adjustments and adapting we, our family members, and the people we live with will have to make to create the most work-friendly environment. The tips below will hopefully ease this time of transition and allow us to make the most of the current work situation.

  1. Make sure you have the necessary equipment, such as a computer, laptop, printer, phone, Wi-Fi, etc. that will be necessary to complete work. As an employer, check with your employees and confirm they have all the materials to continue with their work, and if not, purchase needed equipment and assign to each one.
  2. Set up a quiet room that can be a work area free from noise and distractions.
  3. Get up at a regular time, dress appropriately, and stick to a routine or schedule and adjust to work times.
  4. Make time for lunch breaks and usual breaks.
  5. Have regular meetings, through conference calls, video chat, or Facetime with supervisors and coworkers to stay up to date on assignments and tasks.
  6. Figure out a way to track your work and progress and share with management and coworkers. A program called Asana helps employees organize, track, and manage assignments and work and is an effective way to be in communication when completing tasks or projects.
  7. Avoid distractions during set work times, like music, TV, Internet, etc.