How to keep up productivity and communication while working from home. A workshop summary.
Photo by Fachy Marín on Unsplash
Just as many others, we at Laika were, for the first time, confronted with working completely remotely due to the Covid-19. Striving for efficient work at home is a much bigger challenge than at the office. Therefore, we approached Dannie-Lu Carr, a consulting specialist, and booked a workshop on how to improve productivity and communication. We were quite happy with the results and found it important to share them with you. So here is the list of some of the key takeaways from our workshop, we hope they will be as helpful to you as they are to us:
Managing distractions!
At our Laika office, there is only our coffee machine requesting love and patience like a small innocent child. At home however, there are far more of these time robbing devilkins. The pile of dirty laundry, the teapot not yet cleaned, the cat on the keyboard, the new DSLR camera that wants to be tested and so on. However, the by far biggest distraction monster which sticks around us is: our mobile phone!
In order to focus, you should first rearrange the place around yourself. The phone can be switched to “Do Not Disturb” (make sure important calls wouldn’t be blocked by allowing phone calls) and the other stuff can be safely tucked away! If there are still notifications interrupting your workflow, it can be helpful to just ignore them for a couple of minutes, finish the task you’re working on and shift attention in a reasonable moment instead of feeling forced to fast respond. Think of when you have to write that one big text due soon. One first step can be to say goodbye to our best friend the internet. But of course, only for a priorly communicated and blocked time slot, so nobody will worry about your sudden disappearance!
Once the workplace is as tidy as it actually should be, at least before and after work, you can focus on your mind. It is often influenced by innumerable stimuli and resembles a meerkat looking out for predators. However, all important tasks should be done one after the other in order to work really efficiently. Simple meditation exercises with breath and attention control can be a great help before starting work.
Clean your desk and your mind
Get rid of unnecessary distractions: Do Not Disturb-mode
Don't react instantly to incoming emails - don’t interrupt the workflow
Avoid feeling isolated!
The atmosphere of the office is ideal for synchronous working. It is a fast and easy process to catch up to what’s happening in the company and what your colleagues are occupied with. That enables synchronous flow and rhythm which is essential for effective team work. Working remotely challenges this rhythm. It’s possible to feel lonely and separated. Staying in contact is kind of difficult and yet so easy considering the variety of tool you have: phone calls, messengers, mails etc. They simply have to be used! Important are daily check-ins and also check-outs. It’s crucial to know that you can reach your colleagues for questions, as they are virtually next to you. Therefore, phone calls even for small chats are necessary. And during lunch time, the usual gathering in the office kitchen can be substituted by a video conference just as team events in the nights after work!
Hold contact to your colleagues through (video) calls and messages even for small issues
Let colleagues know when you are available and when you are not
Do not forego private conversations
Develop new rituals such as virtual afterwork drinks, online quiz nights or celebrations of success
Overcome procrastination!
The highest inhibition threshold to do something is the feeling not to be ready. I bet we all know sentences like: Now, it’s too late to start with that; I should do it in the next days when I’m done with the other stuff; I should first wait until I have all the information; Not now!
Procrastination resembles a sticky piece of candy - first it appears very attractive and you consume it, then you are kind of annoyed of not getting rid of the leftovers at your teeths and eventually you grab another piece since it is really sweet! We all have our personal sweets, but luckily, we can overcome them with a few tricks!
“Why am I doing this?” Recalling the purpose of every task, may it be very small, is crucial for getting it done. We all are different people who are motivated by different things. Some strive for autonomy, others for mastery or purpose. It is important to always link the motivation to the purpose of the task. Also, you should define wins and create clarity about the work you want to get done. There is a wide range of helpful tools available. We are quite happy with Asana. However, even more important: a completed task is better than a perfect one!
But! As helpful as getting started with the task, it is to allow breaks! Generally, no one is able to stay concentrated for longer than 10-40 minutes and therefore frequent breaks and alternation between free flow and focussed work are indispensable.
One closing trick is as easy as it is effective: If you get stuck in activities you want to quit (watching videos etc.) or can’t get started with something you have to do, just set yourself a time limit and within “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 GO!” you stop/start doing it!
Remember the underlying purpose of your task before you even begin
Define on what you exactly want to achieve each day, with helpful tools (like Asana)
Plan your day with time for focus work and free flow - alternate between both
If you are interested in her work, find Dannie-Lu Carr on LinkedIn!