Over the last few weeks much of the country (and the world) have been forced to transition to a new normal. Businesses have either closed up shop or switch to a remote working from home model. For those fortunate enough to continue operations away from their usual office – it can be a bit of a learning curve. Your home is now your workplace and vice versa. Not exactly the work/life balance we’re taught to achieve. Team Port & Starboard has officially been in WFH mode since March 13th. As we approach the three week mark, we each wanted to give one tip that helps set us up for success even in the most unconventional circumstances.

Alyssa – Digital Strategist

Create a morning routine: Alyssa’s tip is one we could all use, whether we are working from home or still heading into the office. She sets the tone for the day and knows that starting her day with the same routine will optimize her productivity. Her usual morning routine is as follows:  

• Get up at 7:30am everyday.
• Feed the cat (or else constant meowing will ensue).
• Take a shower.
• Put on music. 
• Eat breakfast and have coffee or tea.
• Put on real clothes.
• Get situated at her workspace (stay away from the couch!).

Abby – Content Marketing Coordinator

Prioritize when you are most productive: I find my productivity levels feel lower when I’m working from home. I try to prioritize the tasks that need the most attention and brain power and schedule time to work on them during that window. For me, it’s getting a jump on things between 9am-12:30pm. But if you get an afternoon burst of energy, try later in the day. It’s different for everyone! I think there’s a lot of trial and error for learning how you function the best when working from home.

Lisa – Co-founder & Salesforce Solutions Architect

Find a spot with excellent light for video calls: Lisa intentionally set up her at-home work space in front of a big window to take advantage of the natural light. But she also took note of other places around the house that would be good for a video call. Changing up the scenery keeps it interesting and mimics having different meetings in different locations like you would at the office. 

Lucia – Salesforce Administrator & Business Analyst

Pick dedicated focus times and then give yourself breaks: Lucia’s tip also follows this sentiment:  recognize that this is not a normal work environment and that’s okay. If you really think about it, there are several times throughout the day that random interruptions, phone calls, colleague questions, general conversations, etc. that occur at the office. So don’t feel bad about taking breaks, you’re not wasting company time. Try blocking off time that you will sit and work on certain tasks but also schedule breaks. If something is taking longer than anticipated – give yourself permission to walk away for a bit. You’re not actually working 100% of the time during an 8 hour workday, so why would you expect that to happen when working from home?

Jeff – Co-founder & Digital Transformation Leader

Set up your workspace somewhere with minimal distractions: Jeff’s tip sheds light on something we all face while working from home: distractions. We’re out of our normal work environment, we have kids, spouses, roommates, pets, etc. thrown into the mix. Jeff set up his work space where he knew there would be limited distractions. He also incorporates some gear to keep the work flowing. An iPad used as a second screen and an Anker+ Powerport to keep all electronics charged and ready to go throughout the day.