How wonderful it is when you do not have to rush to the office in the morning. You may start working immediately after opening your eyes, with a computer on your lap. You do not have to spend hours preparing, choosing the right clothes, or commuting. It may seem like a dream come true. However, as time went by, it turned out that reality is far from ideal. Suddenly, we started to feel the lack of chitchats, coffee breaks, shared lunch breaks or weekly organizational meetings. We want to go back to the office…

It is a torrid time for people from all over the world. We are forced to self-distancing, every day feeling a growing lack of companionship of our coworkers and friends. Only now, it turns out how social we are. Easy, everything will return to normal, and we will enjoy each other’s company again. Remember, however, that it is another day at work, not a holiday. Now our employer or our own business may require us to be more committed than ever before. What to do in order not to run out of steam, and remain focused? Here are some valuable tips.

Try to keep your daily work routine

Remember, this hard situation will finally come to an end. If you change your daily schedule, it will be challenging to go back on track when this situation is over. Naturally, you may sit in pajamas, with messy hair, or get up a little bit later, however, only occasionally. It is essential to remember that for your own sanity, it’s not worth giving up all your daily habits. It is always worth raising the bar, no matter what the situation is. Only self-discipline may help you to survive that difficult time and not to feel the changes drastically.

Standardize your working time

You work from home, nevertheless, don’t treat it as an office. Do not check your business mail at night and do not work till late evening hours. Value your free time – plan it, just like time at work. Create your own daily or weekly schedule and check whether you achieved what you assumed, or need to postpone something. Primarily, you need to set your working hours. You must clearly define your availability during the day, for colleagues, clients, and contractors, as if you were in the office. Do not forget about small breaks – in the office, you also make coffee or go out for lunch. However, this is not the time to do household chores. Act according to the agreed plan, and you will see how effective your work from home may be.

Restrict contacts with others during this time

You are not always home alone. Friends may think that working from home is an undemanding task and try to call and chat at noon. Set clear boundaries and respect them. Let roommates, spouses, children or parents know that you are working at the time, and do not want to be distracted. The most challenging task is to say this to a child, but for sure, parents will find a way to explain it to their bundle of joy. In this extraordinary situation, an honest conversation, which will help in finding the optimal solution both in the division of domestic tasks and professional duties, is indispensable.

Contact with others

We all must, however, communicate with colleagues or clients. Apart from the phone, we should also use other available solutions, such as TeamViewer, Skype, or Microsoft Teams.  It is worth not only to hear but also to see each other. Microsoft, within the action #stayhome, enabled companies to use their application for 3 months free of charge. At Suncode, we talk to each other every day. It is important to us, as we value the each-others companionship. Hence, the initiative to show you how we work in our homes. All of that with a grain of salt, to bring a smile on your faces, even for a moment. 

We wish you all health, serenity and productive work in the comfort of your own home 🙂