Working Under Lockdown
As of tomorrow, I will be working from home for the duration of the coronavirus emergency. I'm still on call to go back to the factory if I'm needed, but I don't think that's likely. Both my boss and the one other person in the Quality office think they'll be more productive if they keep coming in to work. That puzzled me at first, but as I was planning and organizing for my time away, a thought came to me.
Most people don't know how to do this. They think about working from home, and they don't even know where to start.
But I have, and I do. I spent about a year in 2001-2 writing three books, one of which, Liberty Girl, is still in print. Some other people in the office have worked from home before too, and they're all set to go. Others, not so much.
If you're one of those people suddenly finding themselves tossed into the deep end of the work-from-home world, here are a couple of tips:
#1 - CNN has an off button. Use it.
(Okay, that one applies even for people who aren't working from home, but still...)
#2 - Establish a regular rhythm.
One of the people preparing to work at home today was so excited that she would get to sleep in tomorrow. I quickly told her - Don't. If you treat working from home like a vacation or a snow day, you'll never get anything done. Without a time clock or an office schedule to keep you focused, it's even more important that you give yourself a regular rhythm. Your body clock likes repetition and familiarity, and if you start telling yourself that you'll do things when you get around to them, you'll never get around to them. When I was writing my books, I tried to have my hand-written warmup finished by the time of the 9:00am "Arts Alive" blurb on KUSC, and I took a break in the middle of the afternoon to do the physical therapy exercises on my previously-dislocated shoulder during ESPN's daily NASCAR show. You can pick whatever works for you, but pick something to keep yourself on track.
#3 - Remind yourself that you're working.
When I was writing my books, I kept up the practice of wearing a shirt with a collar on weekdays, instead of just going around in t-shirts all the time. I'll be doing that again. It's just a little reminder, whenever I see my reflection, that I'm supposed to be working. Again, you can pick whatever works for you. If dress codes aren't your thing, then designate a space as your office, even if it's just one corner of a room or something. Or if you have more than one computer, make one of them your "work" computer and the other your "home" computer. Maybe your office gave you a laptop to use - several people in my office took company laptops home today. That makes it easy. The point is just to have a reminder that even though you're at home, you're still at work.
I do not, however, recommend taking things to this level:
We're all in unexplored territory with the coronavirus, but we can make it. Let's do our best to stay focused and get through to the other side.
Most people don't know how to do this. They think about working from home, and they don't even know where to start.
But I have, and I do. I spent about a year in 2001-2 writing three books, one of which, Liberty Girl, is still in print. Some other people in the office have worked from home before too, and they're all set to go. Others, not so much.
If you're one of those people suddenly finding themselves tossed into the deep end of the work-from-home world, here are a couple of tips:
#1 - CNN has an off button. Use it.
(Okay, that one applies even for people who aren't working from home, but still...)
#2 - Establish a regular rhythm.
One of the people preparing to work at home today was so excited that she would get to sleep in tomorrow. I quickly told her - Don't. If you treat working from home like a vacation or a snow day, you'll never get anything done. Without a time clock or an office schedule to keep you focused, it's even more important that you give yourself a regular rhythm. Your body clock likes repetition and familiarity, and if you start telling yourself that you'll do things when you get around to them, you'll never get around to them. When I was writing my books, I tried to have my hand-written warmup finished by the time of the 9:00am "Arts Alive" blurb on KUSC, and I took a break in the middle of the afternoon to do the physical therapy exercises on my previously-dislocated shoulder during ESPN's daily NASCAR show. You can pick whatever works for you, but pick something to keep yourself on track.
#3 - Remind yourself that you're working.
When I was writing my books, I kept up the practice of wearing a shirt with a collar on weekdays, instead of just going around in t-shirts all the time. I'll be doing that again. It's just a little reminder, whenever I see my reflection, that I'm supposed to be working. Again, you can pick whatever works for you. If dress codes aren't your thing, then designate a space as your office, even if it's just one corner of a room or something. Or if you have more than one computer, make one of them your "work" computer and the other your "home" computer. Maybe your office gave you a laptop to use - several people in my office took company laptops home today. That makes it easy. The point is just to have a reminder that even though you're at home, you're still at work.
I do not, however, recommend taking things to this level:
We're all in unexplored territory with the coronavirus, but we can make it. Let's do our best to stay focused and get through to the other side.
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