How to work from home during the pandemic

We know trying to work from a makeshift home office can be overwhelming, stressful, and tiring. Especially given the state of the world right now. Know there’s no need to panic: we’re here to give you some tips and advice on what you can do to be a pro when working from home.

Apply for the right jobs

There are many, many industries that are adapting to remote work and building strong distributed teams. Whatever your area of expertise, there are options out there. Look for companies that already hire remotely as standard. They tend to be more flexible and will be able to help you adapt to the new workplace – aka, your home.

Embrace your surroundings…

You might be thinking that not having your work desk and the computer is a giant setback. Yet here’s the thing: what happens when you begin looking at it from another angle? It is true that at home you might not have the same workspace that you’d prefer, but what you do have at your disposal is comfort – so use it to your advantage!

Spend time with your loved ones, your pets, and find a spot that works for you. Maybe that place by the window? A cranny or nook in the kitchen? Make sure to be as connected to who’s around you as you are with who’s away.

…But set some ground rules

Though it’s awesome to be close to your loved ones, sometimes you need to have a good talk to ensure everyone’s on the same page. Whether it’s a roommate, partner, or child, communicate your needs – like keeping noize levels down.
If kids are involved, maybe you can negotiate shifts with your partner so that both of you get at least a couple of hours of uninterrupted work done. And, too much TV might be a good thing for now.

Forget about playing dress-up

Getting dressed as if it’s a regular workday may be helpful to some, but it’s not for everyone. If it makes you feel good, then great. If you don’t, there’s no problem staying in comfy clothes if they’ll make you feel better and more productive. If that’s not enough to motivate you, think of the time (and cash) you’ll save!

Chat with your coworkers

Video chatting is a great tool for making sure the whole team gets things done. Just don’t forget you can also use this for much much more. Have a daily (or weekly) happy hour where you talk about your lives and hobbies to unwind. Strike up a chat about that Star Wars Funko Pop you see on the background of a colleague’s camera.

Stick to a schedule

One of the benefits of working from home is creating your own schedule. Take it from us: although Ubiminders stick to the customer’s working hours, not having to commute has added extra flexibility for those of us that used offices.

Be aware that that can be a massive drawback if you don’t commit. Don’t let the lines between your work and personal life blur. Set working hours and time-off to add a little structure to your day. Besides, setting a time to unplug can motivate you to finish all your tasks on time.

Boost that playlist

While some enjoy working in complete silence, others need some tunes to help them be more productive. The sound of silence can be quite loud sometimes. If you’re feeling alone, listen to some music! Apple Music, Spotify, and other music streaming apps have tons of playlists that can help.

Set realistic expectations

In the same way, some people are more productive when working from home, others might find it difficult to juggle work and life tasks at the same time. Since we know multitasking is a myth, we suggest you prioritize what’s most important vs. what can wait. Don’t expect to work at your normal capacity and don’t be too hard on yourself: these are daunting times. Still, we will make it through.

Stay healthy

Self-care might as well be the word of the decade. As the years go by, all of us are realizing how important taking care of ourselves is to function properly as a person in the world. So even though you might spend the day typing in front of a computer, don’t forget to meditate, exercise, and turn off your brain for a sec.

Scheila Farias Silveira

International Marketing Leader, specialized in tech. Proud to have built marketing and business generation structures for some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies on both sides of the Atlantic (UK, DACH, Iberia, LatAm, and NorthAm). Big fan of motherhood, world music, marketing, and backpacking. A little bit nerdy too!