We here at Almost Heaven Media are old pros when it comes to working from locations other than our physical office. We have worked remotely on so many occasions that it would be impossible to list them all, but we can recall team members working over the past year from Hawaii, California, Texas, Colorado, Maryland, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Canada and Mexico.
The nature of our business allows us to work from anywhere, with anyone, and utilize talent from all over the United States, or even the world. Our team members are rarely in the same location, and we are used to being efficient and effective in communicating through technology.
The recent Covid-19 pandemic has many working from home for the first time, and some are not adjusting well. Just this morning we had calls scheduled with two vendors we want to buy from and neither followed through with us at the agreed upon time. Was it due to panic or sickness? Who knows. Nobody ever reached out to reschedule or explain. You want to maintain stability in a time when so many are unsure. People want to do business with those who maintain composure in the face of adversity.
If you are unsure about how to be effective working remotely, we have put together some tips to help you transition.
Maintain your regular schedule. Get up, give yourself time to wake up, and begin working at the same time you normally would if you were in the office.
Find a space. Whether it’s your kitchen table or a home office, having a space where you can perform your duties is key. You will need access to power and the internet. Having to get up to recharge will only frustrate you. We highly recommend keeping your laptop out of your bed. They need to cool, and the covers can disrupt airflow, damaging your machine.
Keep appointments. Just because you’re not physically in the office doesn’t mean you can’t call, video conference or otherwise conduct business.
Update your calendar. Lay out tasks to complete throughout the day and stick to the timeframe you’ve allotted for them.
Remember that you are on the clock. There will be many distractions and temptations. Family members and friends need to know you have boundaries.
You may find that working from home is more efficient. You have fewer distractions and small talk from coworkers. While you may miss the human interaction, know that this is temporary. This is a great opportunity to get organized and come out ahead on many tasks that have been pushed to the back burner.