We are in unprecedented times. Globally, millions of workers often sit at their regular place of work dreaming of the day when they can work from home (WfH). Everyone has their reasons of course, from cutting down on a long commute to being able to spend a few more precious moments with the kids. Well now, forced under tragic circumstances, the dream has become a reality. Perhaps it’s going swimmingly or, perhaps, (and I suspect this to be the case a lot more than people would like to admit) the WfH utopia is not quite what they expected for one reason or another. Here at Q-Sys we always promote remote working. We have our reasons for this, as with any business, such as reducing carbon footprint, minimising overheads in order to create extra value for our Clients and we also recognise that we live in a digital age where technology allows us to be connected, even from the other side of the planet.
Plan – Planning is vitally important. As I used to be reminded in the military “failing to plan is planning to fail” so take some time to plan your day. You should consider things such as:
- Where will I set up my ‘office’?
- How is my connectivity?
- Do I have all the resources I usually have at the office?
Do – Carry out your working day as you would if you were at the office:
- Respond to emails/requests as you usually would
- Attend planned meetings using remote means such as Skype (see 2 and 3 above)
- Take frequent breaks away from your screen
Check – At the end of each day:
- Did you achieve all that you would have at the office?
- Did your set-up allow you to work efficiently?
- Were there any distractions that you need to address?
Act – After you have checked:
- Make any necessary changes to improve your set-up and effectiveness
- Inform your organisation if you require additional support (IT for example)
- Plan for tomorrow
By following these simple steps you will adapt quickly to your new way of working and, perhaps, develop new habits and skills along the way.
