Given our current circumstances and impacts on the way we work, many if us are considering how we may adapt. It’s a useful exercise, not just for current climate but future ways in which our world changes.
As New Zealand closes its borders and advice filters across organisations on new ways of working and contingency plans we’re forced to change our routines and get out of our comfort zones. I’m inclined to agree with Jacinda Adern it’s better to do more than less, take a short term hit for long term protection. It will have significant impacts though and forces us all to think differently, change our habits and routines and think outside the box. Many of us will be uncomfortable with the change and if we’ve brought into the media hype and hysteria feeling the fear right now too. We’ve seen this play out in our scarcity mindsets and public panic buying.
These are uncertain times but they can also be opportunities to consider a new future, prepare and adapt – this is unlikely to be the last pandemic we see. Personally I think it’s a great time to trial working form home and see the impacts on productivity that may lead to more businesses embracing this new working style – albeit for the wrong reasons right now.
If you’d have mentioned working from home and self isolation to me when I was in the corporate world stuck in a noisy open plan office I’d have jumped at the chance. The introvert in me celebrates and one of the things I’ve valued running my own business from home is the freedom to work in a way that works for me. Many of my writer/freelancer friends agree this is much how we work already – business as usual.
Working from home, by yourself, for yourself – it’s pretty much self isolation but even for an introvert you can have too much of this. It looks like social distancing will become our new normal for a while, and maybe even self-isolation so as a social species how do we cope with this and avoid it negatively impacting. I find if I’ve been at home too much and by myself too often it stifles my creativity and impacts my mood, not to mention our need for social connection (even introverts).
So I thought it timely to put together some top tips and advice for those not used to working from home or struggling to come to terms with social isolation as we implement our contingency plans and pandemic control measures with working from home schemes and travel restrictions in light of Covid 19.
Embrace technology, our chat bots, video conferencing platforms, intranets and emails. Virtual events and summits have been in place long before the travel restrictions.
Make yourself a comfy place at home free from distractions, set up a home office space and stay in a routine like you would if you were going to the office.
It can take additional discipline to work from home and we’re all different in terms of what we prefer to make this conducive to productivity. Play music, or not. Sit on the couch, or not. Go for a walk at lunch, or not. Open a window, or not. Find what works for you and enjoy the freedom of being able to do this rather than being stuck in an open plan office under UV lights with air con nobody ever seems to have control of.
Take regular breaks, enjoy having your own kitchen to hand for lunch – try and not raid the pantry every hour though or end up in the laundry room!
Break up the social isolation with music, calls to colleagues rather than emails and make sure you have everything you’ll need to hand.
More information and advice can be found on this free information guide
And of course don’t forget the wider advice given during this pandemic.
· Don’t travel unless it’s essential - use technology for meetings and events where possible
· Wash your hands
· Arm yourself with the facts
· Unplug from technology and media hype occasionally
· Become comfortable with uncertainty and don’t panic
Remember our species has survived thus far because of cooperation and collaboration. Be considerate, kind and look after each other and remember there’s enough toilet paper to go around!
For me personally I carry on as normal, steer clear of the media hysteria and arm myself with the facts. After next weeks final workshop in Auckland I’ll not be arranging anymore public events until further notice. However it’s probably a good time to mention that all my workshops already exist on line anyway. If you’re spending too much time at home or would like to get to an event and can’t download the workshops online and study from your own place at your own pace.