Detroit Regional Chamber > Working from Home: Dos and Don’ts

Working from Home: Dos and Don’ts

April 3, 2020
For many business professionals, working from home is the new normal as the COVID-19 crisis unfolds. In these uncertain times, it’s important for workers to be able to adapt to new environments. If you are working from home for the first time, there’s no need to get discouraged. Below are some best practices to keep in mind to help you succeed at working from home. 


Related: Methods to Help You Stay Productive While Working Remotely


Don’t: Work from bed in your pajamas.  

It’s tempting, and no one would ever know, right? But trying to work from any place that your body associates with sleep or relaxing will not help you stay motivated.  

Do: Separate your work time from relaxing time. 

Designating a space in your home – whether it’s an office or your kitchen table – as your workplace will help you distinguish your work time from downtime.  

 

Don’t: Assume that everyone is on the same page. 

Good communication is more important than ever. And without in-person interactions, the opportunity for miscommunications has grown tremendously.  

Do: Check in with your colleagues regularly. 

With most out of the office, sending clear and comprehensive emails is vital to making sure everyone is in the loop. It’s better to provide more information than necessary than to leave recipients confused or lost. Schedule a phone meeting to explain yourself more clearly. 

 

Don’t: Try to manage other obligations while working at home. 

As a rule of thumb, don’t try to complete any tasks during your workday that you wouldn’t normally do on-site. This includes household chores and managing personal matters. 

Do: Keep personal matters separate. 

Do your best to separate distractions in your home. This means scheduling all personal obligations outside of the workday as you normally would.  

 

Don’t: Give in to distractions. 

We all will find them while working from home, whether it’s a pet, social media, or news alerts. 

Do: Know your distractions and how to manage them. 

Identify distractions right away before they become a reoccurring issue. This is essential to prevent bad habits from forming that will prevent you from remaining focused throughout the day. It’s okay to take breaks, but these should be planned according to your workload and schedule.  

 

Don’t: Feel defeated if you have less work to do than normal.

If most of your work needs to be completed on-site or some of your duties are paused due to the coronavirus, don’t be discouraged. 

Do: Find other ways to be productive and help. 

Figure out ways to help your company and coworkers with the extra time on your hands. This could mean helping those with heavier workloads, learning new skills to help in different areas, and thinking of innovative ways to help your company remain strong through the crisis.