Skip to main content

#Working from Home

How to Make Working from Home, Work for You

For most of us, what’s happening in the workplace is unprecedented. Many of us, who are happy to still be employed, have been thrust into working from home with little to no preparation. As the situation evolves quickly, it’s important to think outside the box to be able to continue servicing our clients. In the legal industry it is time for a paradigm shift. Many firms have struggled with allowing people to work from home for a myriad of reasons. At this point, we have no choice. To help you get off on the right foot, the following are some best practices as we move forward into this new working environment.
Create your Spot: If you never thought about rooms in your apartment or house that could function as an office, it’s time to take inventory of areas that are quiet, have great internet access and several outlets. If sharing the home with a spouse or a roommate(s), think about how to divide the space to accommodate everyone. One person might need to transform their bedroom into a temporary office while another gets the coffee table. You’ll need to have the ability to close a door or find a quiet area to take calls, be on a video conference or simply just to think. As humans we like to “nest” which is why we have pictures in our work areas and use our favorite coffee mug. Do the same at home.
Follow a Routine: Because you don’t have to fight traffic or take a train, your inclination might be to sleep in to take advantage of this extra time. That’s great for a couple of days but don’t get sucked into doing it every day. It’s important to create a routine that will get your juices flowing and prep you to start your workday. Set your alarm clock, go for a run, do an online yoga class or make a healthy breakfast. Decide to dress in business casual attire, then walk over to your work area and start working. Be sure to take a lunch break and stop working at your normal quitting time as if you were in the office.
Communicate and Communicate Some More: Since you are no longer able to walk down the hall to ask a colleague a question, schedule a time for a phone call or video conference. Talking to others on the phone will help you feel connected. Use FaceTime, Zoom or any tools that your firm approves so you can reach out and make connections. Talk with your supervising attorneys, your assistant and paralegals at the start of the day and throughout the day so that everyone is on track to do their best work.
Have the Right Tools: If you have been asked to work from home by your firm, they have or will provide you with a laptop and a headset. Consider what other items you need or want. Would a regular or standing desk be better for your back, how about your chair or maybe you need noise canceling headphones? Does your WiFi and Internet work consistently or does it drop? If so, ask your carrier to investigate it sooner rather than later. Without the proper tools you will get frustrated and have a tough time making remote work comfortable and productive.
Those Pesky Chores: You might be tempted to throw in a load of laundry or complete that refinishing project in between emails and calls but be realistic. You wouldn’t do extra work at work so don’t do it while you are working. Of course, checking your mailbox or taking out the garbage can get be a short break, but try not to commit to anything that eats into your productive work hours.
Find the Right Balance: When working from home it’s easy to lose track of time and say to yourself, “just one more thing.” At an office you must get up and leave to go home, so this means picking the time to log off for the night and just be at home. Without the commute home, it’s tempting to work during that time. To not totally disrupt your routine, do the things you would normally do in the evening. If you normally check emails, then do so but be sure to communicate your boundaries so you do not end up working all day and night.
Stay Positive: Without contact from your colleagues, you may feel lonely. No one is stopping by your office to chat, have an in-office meeting, or asking you to lunch. You can either excel with this new quiet becoming more productive or you can dip into loneliness that feeds into depression. What will be your choice? Self-confidence is the key to making this work not only in the short term but also as your career progresses. Thinking positive thoughts about this situation and allowing yourself to take advantage of this time to accomplish tasks that were lower on your to-do list would be productive and uplifting. Have you thought about writing that article or creating the slide deck for a CLE presentation?
We are in strange times, so we all need to stay focused on the goal of staying healthy and productive while managing our lives as close to normal as possible

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

52 Work From Home Jobs for you

  52 Work From Home Jobs Paying as Much or a Lot More Than the Average UK Salary. The money can be pretty good but you're on your own. For some people that's the best part. 1. Affiliate Marketer  When the visitor clicks the affiliate link and buys the book, Amazon will pay you a percentage of the sale. People love affiliate marketing because they can start earning money passively with few startup costs. 2. Animator Are you an artistic and creative individual who is able to create animation and visual effects for television, movies, video games and other types of media? 3. Baker/Caterer/Chef If you have a knack for baking or cooking, then turn your passion into a side business. From your own kitchen, you could start a catering business or become a personal chef. If you're a baker, you could sell you goods to friends, neighbors, online or at local farmer's markets. 4. Blogger Blogging is inexpensive and easy to start doing. It could be as simple as you just writing about ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Building Websites

  How To Make Money Building Websites. If you have experience building websites, you have the potential for a great side hustle or even the ability to leave your traditional 9-5 job behind for flexible, enjoyable self-employment. But the biggest question for most people when evaluating how to make money building websites is how to get started. We’ll explain step-by-step how to get started and make a profit with building websites Do you know how Does Making Money with a Website Work? If you have skills in website design can make money because not every business owner has the time or ability to create their own website.  Generally, the cost for building a website is a flat fee that you charge for setting everything up for the customer. Then you hand off the final product for them to manage or you can charge a monthly fee to manage the website moving forward. Alternatively, you could build a website and use it to generate side income. The best way to do that is to set up ads and ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Buying and Selling Stuff Online

  Interested In Buying and Selling Stuff Online? Here’s How You Can Start Out Buying and selling stuff online can be a great way to make money. It’s a comeback of the flea market world, made more convenient through the web. And if you’re into buying and reselling, you can find numerous items to flip on eBay. There is a lot of stuff out there to be sold both online and offline. Selling stuff online can be even more fun and addicting but you have to understand that there are a lot of gains and losses especially when your business is just starting. Let’s take you through the journey and how you can set yourself up for success. 1 First Identify Or Create Products That Solve A Problem If you want to make money selling online, you’ll need to select or create products that solve a problem. Solving problems is the best way to make money. Find products that solve a problem and you will never run out of customers.  For example, if you are creating or improving an existing product (or se...
Post a Comment
Read more