Welcome to another installment of BlackTruck Minutes, a quick web series that we have placed together in an effort to help your business out in times of crisis.
With this episode, we’re giving you some tips and technology to help you stay productive when working from home. Keep in mind that these tips are what we have found works best for us and we encourage you to find what works best for you!
Tips To Stay Productive When Working From Home
1. Your Work Routine
The first tip is in regards to your work routine. Treat working from home as if you were commuting to an office everyday. This means waking up at a consistent time in the morning and logging off at a consistent time when you are done for the day. Taking it a step further, try dressing for the day. Get out of your PJ’s and into work attire as if you were going to be around co-workers or clients. Lastly, have a designated workspace. A space you can go to that is distraction free that allows you to get quality work done.
2. Daily Agenda
The second set of tips have to do with your daily agenda. Let’s face it, distractions will pop-up while at home. Having a task list of what you want to get accomplished today, gives you a clear identification of what you can and should be working on. Instead of focusing on all what you have to do you can set realistic expectations of what you want to get done.
Along with a task list, it may help to have a working document to add quick notes of what you got done. This will help recap your day and you will have something to look back on to keep tasks and projects fresh.
To help keep tabs of everything, there are a number of task management tools that can be found online. Asana, OnlyOffice, and Basecamp are a few great paid resources and apps. Or you could use Google Docs, Sheets, or even your classic pen and paper to make these lists.
3. Communication
The last set of tips we have pertain to communication. Just because you are not with your team or client physically does not mean you can’t be there virtually. Engage with your team members and fill them in on any accomplishments or insights you’ve gathered so everyone is caught up to speed. With that said, if they reach out to you, be available to them and respond in a timely manner so they know you are there for them.
There are a number of great communication tools out there. At BlackTruck we use Google Hangouts and Zoom for video conference calls and IM. Slack is another great resource for IM and project collaboration. And of course there is Gmail & Outlook for your emailing.
Check out some of the other BlackTruck Minutes for quick action items you and your teams can use to be successful in times of need.
Adjusting Google MyBusiness Listings for Temporary Closures and Crisis
