MOC: Motivation , Organisation, Connection
Do you find working from home a challenge? It’s something you’d not expected or chosen to do. For most people, having a structure to the day, set by their employer’s working practices, is essential. It’s one reason people choose employment over self-employment.
If you’re used to going to work, the usual structures and interpersonal relationships will have changed. Nothing is in its usual place. Suddenly you find yourself having to plan, motivate yourself and deal with being isolated, at least physically, from your colleagues.
You may have settled into this well over the past week or so. Some of you will be used to homeworking because you’re freelance or often work remotely. If, however, you prefer your usual working practices, what can you do to replicate some of the structures of a ‘normal’ working day?
Whether you’ve already risen to the challenge, or are finding it difficult, I hope these tips on managing the new workstyle will be helpful. Adapt them, of course, to suit your own work requirements and choose the tips that suit you.
Motivation
– Get up each morning as if you’re going out to work and get ready in the same way, dressing as if you’re seeing people, which you may well do via video link
– Discuss goals for the week/months with your manager/team at the start of the week, ideally first thing Monday morning
– Write in large print 3 key goals for the week & put them on the wall in front of you so you can see them when you’re at your laptop
– Set a time/day to achieve each goal (or element of a goal, if it’s a medium or long term goal)
– Arrange check ins with your manager/staff/colleagues during the week, at agreed times
Organisation
– All your work materials are now at home so arrange them according to convenience, so you can access them easily. Create your own dedicated workspace area.
– Pay attention to the environment of this workspace, to make it as pleasant as possible, ideally where you have light, some space, a plant?
– At the end of each day make a to do list for the following day
– At the start of each day check your emails and messages, update your to do list, then follow it
– Create routine in your working day
Connection
– Additionally you have lost your daily social contact. This may be a particular issue for those who live alone. Conversely, you may have too much social contact at home that can affect your work, with children being off school and running around or the dogs barking!
– Managers/HR – send out a regular round robin email (weekly, fortnightly?) giving relevant updates, checking how people are, if systems are working well, and to contact you/HR if individuals have particular needs or concerns.
– A daily morning check in of the members of each department (video conference/Zoom)
– A ten minute coffee chat (mobile/video) at the usual times you stop for a break with someone in the office, perhaps one in the morning and one in the afternoon
– An end of day check out of the members of each department (video conference/Zoom)
In summary
You will see that the above steps under motivation, organisation and connection overlap and support each other. The aim is to replicate as much as is possible the working life you’ve been used to in our new, remote world.
If you feel in this new remote world, the need for support to reflect, or to work on areas of your personal or professional development, I am now offering coaching by phone or on Skype.
