Yes, it's possible to kill it while WFH: Six lessons from personal experience

Andy Dunmire
Mar 11, 2020
4 min read

It's early 2020 and by almost all accounts, we're living in some pretty crazy times. Stocks are taking a shellacking, major events are being canceled, travel is banned, and entire countries are locked down. Closer to home, millions of people have suddenly been thrust into the unfamiliar environment of teleworking, and for weeks on end. Such changes are bound to cause some unease and anxiety - but fear not.

With a little effort and slight adjustment to how you approach your daily routine, you really can kill it while working from home. And it doesn't go without saying how fortunate some industries and professions are to have the ability to work from home, as not everyone has that luxury. I've worked remotely over several years for Marriott International, Stanford University, as well as an independent consultant, so I wanted to share a few lessons from my journey to help others cope with their new work environment.

1. Stay engaged

This is an absolute must. It's easy to feel detached, disconnected, and isolated because we are. Working remotely requires us to overcome physical barriers. This is where a little effort comes into play. Stick to your existing deadlines and meeting schedule. This is not a great time to unplug from your work or your team. So monitor your messages across slack, email, etc and to pay careful attention to the details. However necessary, find a way to track your progress and meeting details. All that said, talk with your supervisor about their expectations around availability. In most cases, you're not expected to be in your chair, online, and available all day long.

Pro tip: Find a way to stay organized that works for you (I personally like handwritten notes, stickies, and file folders). There's no right way to organize, as long as you're on top of your work.

2. Be a mindful communicator

We all have a preferred method of communication — be it in person, SMS, chat, slack, email, video chat, etc, but mindful is the operative word. Now that you and your colleagues are working remotely, communication preferences are less important than effective communication. Before sending a message, be mindful of your colleague on the other end and ask yourself; do they need this information NOW, what's the best medium to make my point, what do I expect them to do with this information? And when you're on a video call and you're speaking, make sure you have your camera on to really emphasize the personal connections.

Pro tip: Be respectful of everyone's time. Afford your colleagues the same flexibility you enjoy to manage your daily routine while working from home.

3. Be super collaborative

“Collaboration” feels like an overused boardroom term for boosting productivity. But we all know we need to work together to actually get things done. As you're mindful of your communication methods while working from home, you can take the next step by actually facilitating collaboration. Maybe instead of sending three emails, you combine your messages into a single document in the cloud for you and your colleagues to collaborate on in realtime. Maybe you're accustomed to informal sync ups with core colleagues and take the initiative to set up a daily standup meeting with a video call. Experiment with the tools and technology your company provides to make it easier to work together.

Pro tip: Try to avoid setting meetings for conversations that could be more effectively conducted in other ways.

4. Minimize distractions

This might seem obvious but it's worth reminding yourself as you're working from home. Settle in someplace you can focus for long periods at a time. Avoid turning on the TV — No CNN or Sportscenter. Try to avoid common areas where roommates or family members could randomly walkthrough to photobomb a video call.

As long as you're able to get your work done, you should find that your time is your own. But try to avoid plans of reorganizing the kitchen, catching up on Netflix, or extended outings. By the way, you absolutely should take breaks! Just be conscious about how long you're away and what work (or meeting) you need to return to.

If you have young kids at home or if their school is closed for a period, this will definitely present a challenge. If schools end up closing here in the Bay area, my plan is to build a schedule with my son while he's home – a mix of math, reading, writing, crafts, and exercise. Having a schedule will also help my wife and I juggle the role of teacher.

5. Set a goal for the day

This is one of the easier lessons and just requires some honest self-reflection. What will motivate you to get out of bed every day now that your office has gone virtual? In all likelihood, your daily work shouldn't be materially different from before. What's changing is how you get that work done. Ask yourself, what is are the one or two most important things I should accomplish today?

Pro tip: Remember, this is your goal so it can be personal or professional in nature. A goal could be experimenting with new tools, looking for new ways to organize yourself, reducing the length or frequency of breaks,

6. Recharge your passion and creativity

I will admit that as an introvert, I'm not as really phased by this sudden change in my work environment. But what recharges me? I like plenty of natural sunlight, space to think (and music playing in my headphones), and some exercise. But even I can appreciate the unmet need for interpersonal contact. Don't ignore this part of your daily routine and you'll find yourself just as engaged as when you were in the office.

Pro tip: Try mixing up your routine every so often by making time for something you've been putting off.