Work in the time of Corona

I am sure I am not alone in working from home these days. For veteran telecommuters, this is nothing new. To the rest of us, however, it can be a little challenging. Drawing on my experiences of the past week or so, here are some things that have worked well for me:

• Report your status to your team more often than you normally would.
  • Daily video conferenced team meetings are useful, whether at the start of the day or the end, having a daily check-in with your team contributes to cohesion and collaboration.
• Be explicit about your availability.
  • If you’re unavailable, let your team know.
• Behave as if everyone is working remotely, even if you’re at the office.
  • Remember that your colleagues who are working remotely have no idea whether you’re available or not.

Establish a routine, and stick to it. While you might not be able to keep exactly to your daily rituals, you should certainly make an effort to make your days predictable and comfortable. Set an alarm, and get up when it goes off. Get a workout session in each day. Go to bed at your regular time.

Set up a comfortable place to work. A good chair, external monitor, keyboard and mouse, in a well-lit room helps with productivity. Prioritise and stick to your prioritisations.

Working from home can be challenging. In the situation we’re facing, however, we all bear a responsibility to ensure that the curve is flattened to the best of our ability.