With the current state of the world, many families are learning how to work and learn from home. Tips, tricks, and hacks are available to help you through this process from any of your favorite news sources. Now might be a good time to get a few words of advice from your church.

By Aidan Carroll

I’ve been working from a kitchen table, a basement workbench, a spare Sunday school room, a home office, and every place in-between for almost four years now. Here is my advice to help you maintain productivity and sanity as you adjust to the new normal.

Set a regular work schedule

When you work from home, the barriers between work and home become blurred. If you get in the habit of starting work each day at a normal time, taking time for a lunch break, and quitting in time to make dinner, it is easier to compartmentalize time at work. Along those lines, if you used your commute to decompress, consider going for a daily walk or bike ride at the beginning or end of your workday to allow you to mentally prepare to be home.

Dress for work (at least on top)

For the first few months that I worked from home, I wore a collared shirt almost every workday. That habit has since dropped off, but when I have an important meeting or review, I will put on a collared shirt to place me in the right mindset. Dressing for work also gives you credibility during video calls, just make sure you aren’t asked to stand up if you choose to stay in your PJ bottoms. Similarly, make a point of showering and brushing your teeth. I’m still guilty of raiding the fridge far more than I should, but clean teeth help me delay giving into cravings for cookies.

Make your “office” work for you

Having a dedicated physical space for work is key to separating work from home. Even if you are working from the kitchen table, clear off plates and dishes so that it becomes your desk. If you use an external monitor at work, considering bringing it home along with a mouse and keyboard. By placing your laptop on a stack of books, you create a more efficient and ergonomic workspace. If your “office” happens to be close to your router, consider running an ethernet cord to your computer. This will often boost your internet speed and can really help during video calls or accessing large files over VPN. Lastly, remember you will be on video calls. If you must work from a bedroom, make the bed, close the closet doors, and tidy up. You don’t need to show your coworkers your nightstand with your deodorant and wart cream.

Pick up the phone

It is very difficult to replicate the spontaneous communication that occurs in an office when you are working from home. Be deliberate with reaching out to coworkers for help, collaboration, and just to check in. Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call a coworker for fear they might be busy with another task; they will often call you back when they have a minute. Take time to ask coworkers how they are really doing and listen. When you are on video calls, be sure to use headphones with an integrated microphone (like the ones that came with your iPhone) as this will give the best audio quality. For conversations over instant messaging or email (or with your spouse), assume the positive. It is all too easy to assume the worst in a tersely worded message (especially when we are all stressed these days).

Set personal boundaries

Your kids will interrupt you, the doorbell will ring, your dog will bark. That’s okay. Do your best to segment work from home. Be mindful of working hours for yourself and others, and block out time on your calendar as busy for personal tasks so that others don’t assume you are free. It is okay to start the dishwasher or move clothes over for laundry during work, but strive not to answer work emails after working hours. Just because you are working from home does not mean you need to skip lunch and work at all hours.

Most importantly, when the dog (or kid) demands attention for the umpteenth time, take time to throw the frisbee (this works for kids and dogs). Your family is still the most important thing in your life.

Aidan Carroll works as a mechanical engineer for Fikst Product Development.