Tips and tricks for telecommuting

With new guidelines we’re facing for social distancing and telecommuting, many people are adjusting to a new lifestyle and a new schedule. To help ease the transition, here are a few tips and tricks for successfully working from home:

• Get dressed. Don’t spend the day in your pajamas.
• Establish a space that signals “work.” This will help you focus and set boundaries.
• Maintain regular hours. Set a starting time and schedule breaks – stretch, dance, take the dog out. Make time to eat lunch and leave your “office” when you do.
• Make a stoplight for family members, especially young ones. Hang or tape colored construction paper in your workspace.
  • Red = you can’t be disturbed
  • Green = it’s okay to interrupt
  • Yellow = check first before entering
• Keep your health in check and avoid unnecessary trips to the refrigerator.
• Check in with your co-workers throughout the day on the status of projects and deliverables.
• Set an end time for your work day or determine what your last task will be. If possible, don’t continue to work after you wrap up – that’s blurring the line between home and work.