Top 6 Atypical Tips and Tricks for Working From Home (WFH)
By Weber Shandwick St. Louis
A few weeks into COVID-19 self-quarantines and we’ve all read the usual tips and suggestions to ensure we’re effectively working from our new “offices.” It goes without saying that we should still stick to regular eating schedules to avoid pointless snacking — easier said than done (looking at you, leftover Girl Scout cookies). Understandably, we’ve heard about the need to create a productive workspace that mirrors our office instead of spending all day working from bed.
To try and make our upcoming days of quarantine a little easier, we asked Weber Shandwick St. Louis colleagues to come up with uncommon but effective ways of working from home.
To that end, here are six suggestions courtesy of our best and brightest:
1. Rearrange furniture in your workspace
Admit it, we’ve always wanted to express our inner Bobby from Queer Eye! Well now’s the time — Channel that inner interior decorator, pretend we’re building a brand-new office in Animal Crossing and see how it feels after a mini home makeover. Sometimes the best fix to breaking out of the routine is a change of scenery, like rearranging the television setup or putting the side table on the other side of the couch. Rearranging workspaces can help keep employees from getting tired of their surroundings, according to a study by OfficeSpace Software. (Suggested Bri Gilomen)
2. Set up calming background noise while you work
There are thousands of different livestreams and videos out there made specifically for use as comforting ambient sounds without being distracting. Help break up the silence of your at-home setup with one of our favorites: puppy livecams. And if we find ourselves missing the sound of keyboards clicking and phones ringing, we’re sure there’s an ASMR video out there with our name on it. (Suggested by Kim Hennen)
3. Treat a walk as your mental commute before and after work
The usual drive to and from the office has turned into a walk down the hall, which leaves more time in the morning and evening to exercise. Taking a walk around the block in the morning before jumping on the laptop, and again after the workday wraps up, gives a definite separation from what time spent at home is working and what time is personal life. (Suggested by Bobby Ceresia)
4. Get dressed in “real” clothes every day
a. Possibly the toughest tip to follow when the pajama pants and bath robe are readily available. But slipping on usual work clothes can put us in a better headspace to be productive than if we’re wearing the same outfit we wore to bed the night before. Wearing shoes while we work from home may also help us stay mentally and physically active, since most of us don’t go barefoot into the office. Plus, a change of clothes can tie in directly to the commute tip and separate work from personal life in a time when that separation is blurrier than ever. Beyond that, dressing professionally helps ensure we think professionally. On the flip side, for some levity in our now-daily Zoom calls, our office has gotten some laughs from pulling out the old Halloween costumes during our virtual staff meetings, so there’s a time and place for every look! (Suggested by Gabby Deitsch)
5. Make your workspace as comfortable as possible
The ergonomic chairs and standing desks we’re used to in the office aren’t an option when we’re working from the kitchen table. This change of scenery doesn’t mean we need to be cramped and uncomfortable all day while working, though. Try setting up tables or chairs with makeshift adjustable heights to mimic a standing deck. Place a box under the table to rest your feet and take some pressure off your back, allowing you to stay longer on calls. It may look odd depending on the setup, but who’s going to give you trouble? We’re all in this together, no judgement. (Suggested by Sean Hixson)
6. Taking time to learn new fun facts
With outside activities limited, we’re likely spending more time than ever online. Why not use that time catching up on random fun facts, like did you know there are six state capitals west of Los Angeles? Sites like Sporcle.com are great for keeping our minds active and fully stocked with enough off-the-wall info to crush your next trivia night. (Suggested by Kate Hazelton)
While these are certainly challenging times, we hope these tips can help provide effective ways to work from home, or at least a little entertainment. If you have any unique ways of WFH, we’d love to hear them.
