As many will be experiencing during confinement, working from home is not as easy as it sounds. Stay efficient, balance with family and prevent professional and emotional isolation are some of the main challenges to overcome. One day working from home is relatively easy, the issue arises once you need to make your routine out of it. And that is the reason why many professionals who work remotely do so from coworking spaces where these challenges are organically out. However, how can we tackle these challenges if we are forced to work from home? Here some tips from experience:
1. Stay professional and take it as seriously as an office-based work day
The most important thing is that you take it seriously YOURSELF. If you don’t, neither your family nor your friends nor your company will. It is an opportunity to make your day more efficient since you do not spend time commuting or in (most probably) unnecessary meetings in the office. Take the opportunity to show your work as outstanding.
2. Routine; set strict hours and habits
It is essential to establish a daily routine: set the alarm clock early, maybe exercise, shower and have breakfast before starting the work day. Just like you do when you walk to work. Sitting in front of the computer in pijamas… DOESN’T WORK. Dress up and make yourself look the best, it is also important for your confidence.
3. Make yourself a space to work
Working from the bedroom or kitchen is not a good idea. It is not nice and your brain may associate with other (house) tasks. To focus, find a new spot, get an ergonomic chair, maybe your coworking space offers them and if not, buy one. A stand for your laptop and keyboard to match it. Maybe a plant, a notebook and a photo. You can make your spot appealing to sit down and work.
4. Keep in touch with coworkers or colleagues
More than ever, in the confinement, COMMUNITY has proved to be so valuable and helpful. Helps efficiency, creativity and confidence. At Vortex Coworking our community is what we are most proud of: professionals with whom to share doubts and advise, who are also friends with whom to share a coffee break in the morning, get lunch out in the sun of Valencia, or share some laughs during an afterwork at the end of the day. When working from home in the confinement we do not see each other every day, but there are many ways to stay in touch with your community: slack, zoom, etc. Use the tools. And if when the confinement is over, the financial situation does not allow you for a fix membership in a coworking space, there are partial memberships (for one week, half a month, virtual office) that will make that happen anyway.
5. Keep the line between work and fun
When working from home you are at risk of becoming addicted to work. Even if we are all day connected by email and pone, we must learn to make (separate) for all. Ideally in a coworking space you have it, by physically separating space (work – home – street) you also separate emotionally. But if this is not possible, we have to generate our own tools to do so. Our tip: at the end of the day, write down the tasks planned for the following day, in order of priority. Remove them from your head until the new day begins, and only in cases of extreme need can you allow yourself to return to your desk until the next morning, even if your desk is 1 meter away.
6. Stay active
Before or after work, make time for exercise. This is always recommended, but more than ever when working from home, since you will easily find yourself without the need of moving your body at all in one day. And that… cannot be good, neither for the body nor for the mind. At Vortex Coworking we have a calendar of activities where every day community members have the opportunity to do some sport together: sunrise run in the Malvarrosa beach or Marina de Valencia (steps from our space Vortex Playa), midday run in the old Turia river (steps from our Vortex Centro space), pilates, beach volley, etc. However, if during confinement that is not an option…. look for a Personal Trainer, Pilates or Yoga trainer or Fitness App and meet virtually with your coworkers fellows (or friends) for an exercise routine.
7. DO NOT CHECK social media
When we work alone from home, the temptation to stay connected through social media is huge. Stay strong and keep them again. Be present, be full on work while working; you can socialize on social media once you are done.
And when all of this is over, which will be more sooner than later, we encourage you to continue working remotely, with all the advantages that this implies, but to do it from a coworking space close to your house. Or at least try. It combines the benefits from working remotely: less commuting, more time and less carbon footprint, less distractions with colleagues and unnecessary meetings, and therefore more concentration and efficiency during the work day; combined with the benefits of working from an office or coworking such as suitable infrastructure and services, community and life balance.. We have two strategic locations in Valencia, Calle Sorní in the center and Calle Reina in the Marina / Cabanyal. Would you like to try the experience? We are looking forward to welcoming you.