COVID-19 has forced everyone into the so called “new normal,” and that means that many of us are conducting our work lives at least partially from home and not at an office. It’s an adjustment that can be especially tough if you have never worked from home or had to maintain a home office and stay productive (and sane) combining your work life and your home. You can keep the “work from home” version of your pallet business at peak performance during COVID-19, and we have a few helpful ideas to keep you focused and on track.
The Home Office – You may have started out at the kitchen table or working from a couch, but the ideal is to have a room or space designated specifically for your office. Here are a few options to consider:
• Turn a guest room into an office; you probably won’t be having any visitors so you can repurpose that space into your new home office.
• A corner office…in the basement. The view won’t be great but carving out a corner in your basement could work and it may be a quiet place away from the noise of kids and family.
• You may also be able to set up in the corner of a family room or den. Try setting up a screen or room divider to make it official. This may be the least ideal option, but you can make it work.
Once you have a space designated, proceed to outfit as a real office environment to promote the mindset that when you go into that space, you are there to work. Let children and family members know that when you’re in the office, you are at work and should not be disturbed.
Office Ergonomics — When working from home, you’ll likely spend more time sitting than when you’re walking around the office and routinely checking on your plant floor. Sitting for long periods, as we all know, isn’t healthy. That’s why it’s important to consider outfitting your office with ergonomic tools, like keyboards and computer mice. Elevate your monitor or laptop so the top is just below eye level to prevent neck strain. And be sure to invest in a comfortable chair.
If you work from home a lot, it might also be worth it to invest in a quality-made stand-up desk. The best models are those that let you easily transition from sitting to standing up. You can find models that are stand-alone desks and others that work right on your existing desktop. The Mayo Clinic has an informative guide on office ergonomics that tells you exactly how to set up your desk.
Video Conferencing — In our last column, we shared some conferencing tools to consider for interfacing with your managers, staff and clients. If you plan to use video for virtual meetings, then try to have a neutral, uncluttered background that is somewhat professional. Also, be sure to have proper lighting. It’s a good idea to test how you look on video with a co-worker prior to jumping on a video call with a customer.
Besides the services mentioned in our Last Idea Box, Free Conference Call is a terrific online service that lets you meet with as many as 1,000 participants in an unlimited number of meetings for free. You can also upgrade to their paid services for even larger conferences or get a dedicated 800 conference number for a nominal fee. Setup is really easy. You can even record meetings and download the audio file on the free version, if you need to transcribe notes from a meeting.
Your Work-from-Home Routine – Another area to focus on is developing a daily work routine. We all must be careful about falling into unproductive habits and frankly a lack of structure and discipline that could hurt your pallet business. Here are our thoughts and suggestions for a productive routine:
• Wake up at the same time you would have if you were going to commute to work.
• Get ready for work as if you were going into the office every day. Shower and dress the way you normally would dress for work.
• Keep roughly the same daily structure you had when you went into the office and stay on a schedule.
• Be mindful about doing non-work stuff. We can all be tempted to do a few things around the house when we’re supposed to be working. Be careful not to get too sidetracked and try to focus on work during the regular work hours you’ve set.
The people who have been the most successful and productive working from home learn over time to develop the right approach to conducting their business in a home-based office. The keys are intentionality and discipline.
