Six Tips for Working from Home During COVID-19

For the past couple of weeks, The Hoyt Organization has been working from home in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. While it was an adjustment at first, the THO team has discovered ways to be effective and achieve success for its clients. Keep reading to learn THO’s six tips for working remotely during the coronavirus. 

1. Make lists when working from home

“One thing I have done is started making handwritten lists. Since my task list on Outlook doesn’t sync properly, I can’t use that on a second monitor. So it becomes easy to lose sight of what needs to be done. It also still feels great to cross something off!” -Bill Hess

2. Create a workspace 

“Set up a place that’s away from the couch and TV so you can concentrate and focus without the distraction of the ‘what’s going on out there’ noise. Make it a place that doesn’t use the comfy couch, which is too easy to sink into and never get up again and is not conducive to an actual work station. Make the couch and TV a reward. That way, you avoid becoming a work potato!” -Erika Snow Robinson

3. Stay in touch

“Hold daily ‘coffee chats’ at the beginning and end of the day to make sure your team is still engaged.”  

-Leeza Hoyt

“One of the main things I have learned working remotely is the need to stay in touch with people on my team and have check in points or calls to discuss accounts, current pitches, deliverables and any other concerns that may come up along the way.” -Amber Hergen

“You should schedule video chats with coworkers to minimize the feeling of social isolation. Instead of only corresponding through email, you should set aside time to speak to your coworkers about projects using video conferencing tools like Slack or Zoom.” -Kate Artmann

4. Use technology to your advantage 

“Turn on your notifications for your email and Slack so that if you are in a Word document, you will know when someone messages you. Also, make sure to have all of your digital tools downloaded onto your cellphone. There is an app for everything.” -Cinnamon Thompson

5. Create pretend coworker

“You can create a fake coworker for you and your roommates or significant other to blame annoying things on to keep the peace, like, ‘Ugh Karen keeps leaving out her cereal bowls. I’m not sure what we are going to do with her.’” -Pippa O’Brien

6. Take breaks when working from home

“Set aside time for lunch, go for a walk, or clean up your space. Setting aside time for breaks will allow you to focus more on your work and take care of other household distractions later.” -Lauren Howe

Working from home can be a major transition for some, but creating these little routines or habits can be a lifesaver. What are some of your tips and tricks for successful remote work?