How to deal with our sudden work from home scenario without losing you | The Up Filer

How to deal with our sudden work from home scenario without losing your mind #wfh

 

Ok, so we are all suddenly working from home. How do you stay productive, efficient, and not lose your mind?

This has all happened really quickly and you may or may not be prepared. We have been doing the WFH thing for 10+ years and hope that sharing some things we've learned will help you get setup quickly.

Keep a routine as much as possible. That means get up and get dressed. Yes, even shoes. This tells your brain it is time to work. Treat it like any other day at the office, without the company office part.

Pick a dedicated work spot (and if it doesn't work, move it), ideally with a decent chair to support your back. A closed door is a big plus if possible. It signals others you are working and helps you with the mental shift to work. It also lets you disconnect from work when you are done for the day. Remember when you work from home you are always at home, but you are always at work too- balance and boundaries are key.

Establish your setup & keep it tidy- Determine what items you need in so you can be efficient. Laptop, phone, earphones, files, post-it notes, stapler, paperclips, backup drives... If you are tight on space think vertically and use your walls. Our Up Filer's are perfect for organizing & managing active work and projects. Because they are wall mount they don't take up floor or desktop real estate and can be mounted anywhere you like - quickly and easily. They are also easy to move when your work changes.

Video Calls & Conferencing Tips. Think about lighting and check that your background is professional (no unmade beds or messy kitchens). Light behind you is a no go, you will be in shadow. Keep the camera at eye level or slightly higher. Use headphones and mute yourself unless you are talking to limit the audio feedback and random sounds that can be disruptive. 

Play Music if you find it's too quiet. 

Protect your electronics by using a surge protectors.

Eat like you would at work. Take an official lunch break. But no all-day snacking & making microwave popcorn :)

Set Office hours. Ideally the same ones you had when you went into work. (If you have kids at home right now you may need to break your day in two sessions with schooling and playtime in the middle of the day.)

Take scheduled breaks every couple of hours. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen, go in your backyard for a vitamin D break, check for the mail....

Exercise. The endorphins will help a lot with the social isolation and uncertainty we are all feeling. There are so many people who are generously offering free online workout classes. Here are a few to get you started: 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/melissaharrison/best-at-home-workouts

https://darebee.com/workouts.html?utm_source=morning_brew

Asics studio fitness personal trainer-led classes are free for 90 days https://apps.apple.com/us/app/asics-studio-cardio-strength/id1295152666?utm_source=morning_brew

Socialize. Working alone can be hard. Especially if you’re used to having a lot of people around. Make sure you’re in your companies messaging channels (like Slack) and are talking and video chatting with your co-workers regularly. This will help with feelings of loneliness or disconnect. 

End Your Day with a Routine. Just as you started your day with a routine, create a habit that signals the close of the workday. It might be a signing off a business messaging app, an evening dog walk, or a 6 p.m. home workout. Something as simple as shutting down your computer, closing your office door, starting to cook dinner, and pouring a glass of wine. Whatever you choose, do it consistently to mark the end of working hours.

Lastly, there are some amazing people & companies out there offering free art, reading, entertainment, & courses during this time of required social isolation. Here are a few of them and if you know of others I can share we'd love to hear from you- Please contact us here or via email at hello@theupfiler.com. 

Stay healthy, stay home, stay safe,

The Up Filer Team

 

FREE MOVIE

Stream the movie Helvetica for free here: https://www.ohyouprettythings.com/free 

FREE MUSEUM TOURS

Aquarium livecam https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams

12 free museum virtual tours https://people.com/travel/stuck-at-home-these-12-famous-museums-offer-virtual-tours-you-can-take-on-your-couch/?utm_source=morning_brew

FREE SYMPHONY & OPERA

Seattle Symphony free livestream https://seattlesymphony.org/live?utm_source=morning_brew

The Met's nightly free livestream https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-to-offer-up-nightly-met-opera-streams/?utm_source=morning_brew

FREE ONLINE ACCESS TO BOOKS

Download over 300,000 books free from the NYPL https://www.nypl.org

FREE ONLINE CLASSES

450 free online Ivy league courses you can take right now https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/here-are-380-ivy-league-courses-you-can-take-online-right-now-for-free-9b3ffcbd7b8c/?fbclid=IwAR1qHRLqS0Y8sSQ5iw1OtHuJRkOUJmeLV1aYJypheAwXEy92kyj81B5GhGg

10 University art classes you can take for free right now https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-10-university-art-classes-free-online?fbclid=IwAR2pggGInuRgPG-fqKTiw50bl8exKbtDb9QwpdVoDwbAj7e2qxO0rd7WgU4

FREE ONLINE KIDS EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT

Disney Parks performances free on YouTube for families https://insidethemagic.net/2020/03/disney-parks-release-performances-tokyo-disneyland-lp1/?fbclid=IwAR1WbmA5tBmEL2sybXSRm3UvrVTz0xdzs74ahDjclh2r7INv_PrW-Jy8XFU

Free Virtual Marine Biology Camp https://www.geekwire.com/2020/whale-experts-launch-free-virtual-marine-biology-camp-entertain-inform-kids/?fbclid=IwAR3gPrs8Z28KnWGkq2Dj-HhnqaPNbFJd9jXi_a6gUCk3OxLd11KI73f8ZHk