Emily’s Top Ten Working-From-Home DOs

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• March 26, 2020
• by Emily Turner
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Because I love all things positive (No BIMBOs), here is a listicle featuring the top ten things you can DO to stay sane, productive and positive when working from home.

#1 DO CREATE A QUIET SPACE where you can concentrate without interruptions. If you don’t have a designated home office, it does not matter. Find a cheery room (preferably with some natural light) to work in peace. Between laptops and smart phones, it’s easier than ever to have a makeshift workspace. Need some inspiration? Glennon Doyle wrote “Love Warrior,” her first New York Times best-selling novel, in her closet.

#2 DO LEARN ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE for productivity. Whether it’s the enneagram or Myers-Briggs approach, take a quiz and then tailor your space and schedule based on the results. My most creative ideas for writing, proposals and all-things content happen in the morning hours, so I try to schedule calls and meetings later in the afternoon.

#3 DO RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT YOUR COLLEAGUES’ PERSONALITY TYPES AND PREFERENCES. At Spaeth, we had a roundtable discussion focused on when and how we prefer to communicate with each other. Whether it’s sending a head’s-up email before calling or scheduling an exact time to brainstorm, this helps our team work more cohesively. We also took the quiz at 16personalities.com, which I highly recommend and not just because I’m a “protagonist, a charismatic and inspiring leader who is able to mesmerize her listeners.”

#4 DO GO EASY ON YOURSELF during these unprecedented times. There is nothing typical about our current working-from-home situation (even as a working-from-home veteran, I’m not used to my boss and the rest of the team also working from home!). Sometimes the WebEx won’t load properly, other times that conference line may drop. Be as flexible, courteous and understanding about others’ technical trials as your own.

#5 DO GET DRESSED. Even if it is to change from your pajamas into yoga pants, wash your face, brush those teeth and pretend like someone will see you. It does wonders for productivity and your mental health.

#6 DO SEEK OUT VITAMIN D, but still wear sunscreen. During an extended trip to London for a client last year, my colleague and I found ourselves standing by the large conference room window when the sun finally decided to grace us with its presence one afternoon. Interestingly enough, the only other person who joined us was from Brazil. Everyone needs sunlight and fresh air. If there are too many days of rain, take a vitamin D supplement, as they are a natural immune booster, but otherwise, treat yourself to those rays (just keep six feet away from anyone else when outdoors).

#7 DO TAKE BREAKS to stretch, eat, put a load of laundry in, homeschool your children (oh wait, this task will require an entirely new list that I am not prepared to write). When you are feeling overloaded, take a break and do something restorative such as yoga, listening to your favorite tunes or taking a nap. Always REMEMBER #4 on the list.

#8 DO CHECK IN WITH EACH OTHER. I like to think of this as virtual water-cooler talk. I may or may not regularly talk to my colleagues about the latest happenings on The Bachelor. If you would discuss it in the office, make time to chat with a colleague remotely as well.

#9 DO SILENCE THOSE ALERTS. Whenever I need to work on a proposal, message book or blog post, I silence my phone and disable pop-ups. Some people even schedule email-free times. Any measure that cuts down on interruptions will help boost your productivity.

#10 DO PRIORITIZE YOUR ATTENTION. Even at a crisis communication firm, our work consists of more than crises. Know what needs your immediate attention versus what can wait, and plan accordingly. If you find yourself shying away from those mundane expense reports, schedule a time to pump them out, preferably while listening to some great tunes and daydreaming about the future business trips we will all take once we can.

P.S. I have managed to do this for the past 16 years, so I know it can be done. You can DO IT!