We are now into week five of lockdown here in Pennsylvania. Most likely you’ve developed some effective work from home strategies. Here are several successful strategies we’ve implemented at our home:
- Create a mobile office – When your kitchen counter or dining room table doubles as your WFH area, separating work from break time proves more challenging. More than ever, we need to create time for a mental re-set. This means finding a quick and easy method to revert your work area back to its original function. Find a container that can containerize your work materials. At the end of day, scoop your work life away and set aside. This method not only keeps your kitchen or dining room organized, it improves work/life boundaries for the family.
- Cluttered desk, cluttered mind – Perhaps you’re lucky enough to have a desk or home office. You may not have to clear items away at the end of your day yet it’s a known fact that a messy work surface hinders productivity. Start or end each day with a quick tidy. Use this time to truly get your home office in tip top organized shape. Set aside time each day to organize your digital life. Delete old files, store your passwords on a secure site, and unsubscribe from various lists (but not this one!)
- Make your own standing desk. This is my new favorite invention. Place a file box or anything to make your computer a comfortable height so you can type standing up. Periodically throughout the day, I place a file box underneath my laptop to give my back and behind a break!
- Use a large whiteboard to keep everyone informed of their tasks, chores, routine items and responsibilities. One friend told me she has her grade school kids make two dinners a week. What a great learning experience for them! Another client writes down the kids’ online class schedules on the board so everyone knows the family’s schedule for the entire week.
- Create some new traditions! At our home, we have designated 4pm as afternoon teatime. We break from our individual activities, make ourselves a cup of tea and meet on our patio. Granted, on some days we’re outside wrapped in blankets and we have also been known to sit underneath golf umbrellas on rainy afternoons. As you can tell, we’re pretty committed to this event which has proven to be a truly enjoyable bright spot in our day. (I’m not going to lie; the obligatory plate of cookies certainly adds to the success of this daily rendezvous).
My daughter, Ariana and I have been having a great time creating organizing videos over the past month with all kinds of tips and tricks to help get you organized around the home. Check out our YouTube channel here. We also created a moderately humorous video highlighting some of the WFH strategies outlined in this newsletter. Check it out here!