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WORKING FROM HOME - YES, THERE IS A SILVER LINING!
Brigitte Kimichik • May 25, 2020
Working from home - Yes, there is a silver lining!
The idea of working from home can be daunting, especially if you have a partner who is doing the same, children, and maybe even other family members living with you. All of the sudden, your responsibilities have tripled, from maintaining the household, including cooking, cleaning, and shopping for essentials, managing activities and school for the kids, to keeping up with your work requirements. You will have to negotiate space, meals, chores and family responsibilities around your work schedule. Most importantly, you may be missing your personal time at the office, and social interactions with your extended family and friends. Your life has changed dramatically.
We would argue it is not all that bad. Here are 8 ways to look at the positive side of working from home:
π Spending Time at Homeπ₯³
How many times have you wished you could just stay home and spend a few days working in your comfy clothes? Now you have 100% permission without guilt or the need to make excuses to experience the life of a telecommuter. This is a positive. Enjoy and make the best of this rare opportunity!
β³Time Management and Schedulingπ
For the first time in a long time, you get to set your own schedule for when to start your day, eat your meals, work, take breaks, exercise and enjoy play time. We recommend setting a regular schedule to help set expectations for your family and your work requirements and colleagues. How you self-motivate and discipline yourself to concentrate and be focused when needed to be more productive at home and at work will be important and challenging at first. Practice makes perfect. Now you have time to further develop those skills for your future.
π₯
Work Space LocationπΌ
You decide the location of your workspace and you can change it as you wish. It could be in a separate room, at your kitchen table, on your balcony, or in a park. Mix it up for variety and a healthier you! ππΌ ππΌ ππΌ
πLearning New Skills
Assuming your employer is providing all of the technical assistance you need to work efficiently from home, you are learning how to work remotely and independently no matter the circumstances—in many cases without assistance. Think about all of the skills you would not have otherwise acquired? Group video calls, commenting on documents over the internet, screen sharing for collaboration on matters, improving your research skills and creativity, designing marketing materials with internet tools…the list goes on depending on your industry. More importantly, you are likely spending more quality time on your projects for a better work product.
πͺπΌFlexible Work Schedule; Better Work/Life Balance
You have the ability to take a break and go for a walk, make banana bread, play with the kids, exercise, or call a friend in the middle of the day, with no judgment. You are deciding what you need in your day mentally and physically for a better work/life balance. This will likely foster a happier and healthier you and improve work motivation and productivity.
π£Improved Communications and Self-Promotion
Working from home, does not allow you to simply pop in to someone’s office for a question or to give a superior an update on a project. Self-promotion after a work success has now become more difficult. If you are working on projects with colleagues at work, you will want to be sure you are proactive in engaging with your co-workers and bosses, with regular check-ins and collaborative communications to evidence your value to the team. You now have time to find ways to stay accountable and responsive and learn how to promote successes that will be remembered at review and bonus time. You have an opportunity to shine. “Remember,” says Fay, “the onus is on the work-from-home individual to be over communicating what they’re doing and what they’re accomplishing.” Exercise your best efforts.
π€Opportunity to Save Money
Think about all of the ways you are saving money. Whether you take the subway or drive a car, you are saving on the cost of commuting, including tickets, gas, and if you own a car, likely even car insurance. Instead of meals out throughout the day or at night, you are cooking at home and clearing out what has been sitting in your fridge, freezer and cabinets. If you love Starbucks or have a favorite other coffee, you have converted your habit to in home coffee making. If you were used to regular happy hours at fun social meeting venues, you may be saving money with Zoom happy hours and home made cocktails. And, if you are not distracted by all of the sales on line, you may even be saving on new clothes for work and social outings.
βοΈππ§ΉπΏππ»
Neglected To Do's and 'Me' Time
Most importantly, you can finally find some time to do things you have been neglecting. Whether it is cleaning out your closet, organizing family pictures, watching movies, taking a bath, or learning new hobbies and games, your daily to do list can include quality time for yourself and your family. For more check out our recommendations.
After the Covid-19 crisis passes and it will pass, you will have mastered the skills to get the job done from home and will have become a much more flexible and valuable employee. You might even decide to make a change and work from home a few times a week.
Wishing you the very best during your stay at home!
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