We would celebrate, but this is not the way we were expecting it to happen. The COVID-19 virus was not in the books for 2020. And with the reality of the crisis fully settling in millions of people across the world are finding themselves working from home. 

The effects of the COVID-19 virus have shut down any routine normalcy, not only posing a threat to our health, but also how businesses operate. Working anywhere outside your home is now a major faux pas and companies are forced to adjust to remote working situationships (yes situationships…unfamiliar and not clearly defined territory) which bring up a new set of challenges for the traditional 9-5 worker. 

Let’s be honest, the work-from-home life is not easy. At times it could be described as a love-hate relationship, but over time you’ll learn how to work under the situation and use it to your advantage.

Fortunately for Serotina, our team is accustomed to working remotely. Call it our superpower.

Through our experiences we gained the ability to handle any out-of-office work situation with kick-ass levels of productivity. 

How? Teamwork.

Be rest assured, even with social distancing taking over our lives teamwork can still flourish–all it takes is a solid internet connection and a willingness to work together. Everyone on the team needs to embrace it.

To help those in need we put together some suggestions for the newbies entering this remote realm of flexibility. Let’s go, c’est parti!

Prep your work space 

Being told to stay home and not come into work might put a smile on your face, but working from home is tough. We recommend you designate an area for work purposes only. Find that spot! Hint: we like to work in areas with a good amount of natural light. It helps.

Once you pinpoint your ideal spot, prepare your work essentials in advance. It’s always a good idea to have your work station or maybe your kitchen table set up and ready to go. This way when you wake up in the morning you can easily ease your way into your workflow.

Establish a schedule & routine 

With the additional freedom you will come to realize that there are loads of distractions at home, especially with free reign access to your phone. It will definitely test your discipline.

To help avoid this keep your phone out of sight and make sure you establish a work schedule. Yes you have some extra leeway being outside the office, but do whatever it takes to stick to your schedule. Consistency over time will build a routine and keep you operating in an office-like time frame. Trust us it will make your adjustment to working from home smoother.

Create a to-do list and prioritize 

Simple enough. Like working at the office you’ll need to prioritize your tasks based on its deadline and importance. To make sure you stay on track we recommend creating a to-do list with the most important tasks starting at the top. That said, find what works best for you but make sure you have a system in place to help you stay on top of your priorities.

At the team level it gets trickier. Team members need to synchronize, so really take the time to understand your team and work around high efficiency times.

For instance at Serotina, we like to take on the bigger tasks after our morning meeting. We find as a team we are more productive this way.

Be available and accessible to your team 

Communication is crucial for any team especially when working remotely, so it’s recommended that you connect more often throughout the day. The designated team leader needs to make sure everyone is on the same page with tasks and projects.

To help boost communication utilize applications to maintain an open line with one another. Apps such as Slack, Google Drive, Google Hangouts or similar apps can help streamline daily communication. And considering everyone is social distancing, it will be a good exercise to follow up with your fellow team members to make sure things are going well and according to plan.

Take a break! 

Taking breaks will help you stay productive, believe it or not. Like being at the office your brain will need to take a break, recharge and regather its mojo. And this is a perfect opportunity to get some time outside, but with that said, be mindful and practise social distancing. 

We recommend going for a short walk. It’s not only great for you mentally but physically as well.  It will also help maintain your productivity levels and boost your mood. To be honest you’ll be happier and your family members and co-workers would appreciate a more positive you.

As more and more of us hunker down at home, remember the work must continue. Fortunately, we have the option to work remotely so let’s be thankful because thousands have been forced into unemployment. Eventually we will pull through this crisis together, until then–be cautious, be safe, and don’t forget to be kind.

Mark Cadiz

@serotinamedia

#KEEPSOCIAL